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“ He  saw  Two  Men  making  their  way  through  the 
Grove.”  — Page  28. 


ohver  opt1^ 

Withii  tii  Eiimt's  Ellis 


The  Blue  and  the  Gray  Series 


WITHIN 

THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


BY 

OLIVER  OPTIC 

AUTHOR  OF  “THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY  SERIES.”  “YOUNG  AMERICA  ABROAD,” 
“ THE  GREAT  WESTERN  SERIES,”  “ THE  WOODVILLE  STORIES,”  “ THE 
STARRY  FLAG  SERIES,”  “ THE  BOAT-CLUB  STORIES,”  “ THE 
ONWARD  AND  UPWARD  SERIJES,”  “ THE  YACHT-CLUB 
SERIES,”  “THE  LAKE  SHORE  SERIES,”  “ THE 
RIVERDALE  SERIES,”  “ THE  BOAT- 
BUILDER  SERIES,”  “TAKEN 
BY  THE  ENEMY,”  ETC. 


BOSTON  1891 

LEE  AND  SHEPARD  PUBLISHERS 

IO  MILK  STREET  NEXT  “ THE  OLD  SOUTH  MEETING  HOUSE  ” 

NEW  YORK  CHAS.  T.  DILLINGHAM 

718  AND  720  BROADWAY 


Copyright,  1889, 

By  Lee  and  Shepard. 

A U rights  reserved. 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES. 


A MON  JEUNE  AMI, 

( QTTE  JE  K’AI  JAMAIS  VC,  ET  QUE  JE  NE  CONNAI8  PAS.) 

pomsifut*  §ing, 

DE  PARIS,  FRANCE, 

En  Reconnaissance  de  la  Bonte  de  son  Pere, 
Cette  Historiette  de  la  Guerre  Civile  en  Amerique 
Est  affectueusement  Dedi£e. 


PREFACE 


“ Within  the  Enemy’s  Lines  ” is  the  second 
volume  of  “ The  Blue  and  the  Gray  Series.”  Like 
its  predecessor,  of  course,  its  scenes  are  connected 
with  the  war  of  the  Rebellion ; and  perhaps  the 
writer  ought  to  be  thankful  that  he  is  not  required 
in  such  a work  to  rise  to  the  dignity  of  history, 
but  he  believes  that  all  his  events  were  possible, 
and  that  every  one  of  them  has  had  its  parallel  in 
the  actual  occurrences  of  the  historic  period  of 
which  he  writes.  In  fact,  some  of  the  experiences 
of  the  actors  in  the  terrible  drama  of  a quarter  of 
a century  ago  would  pass  more  readily  for  fiction 
than  for  reality,  and  detailed  on  the  pages  of  a 
story  would  be  deemed  impossible  by  the  conserva- 
tive reader. 

The  nation  has  passed  out  of  its  ordeal  of  fire, 
and  an  excellent  spirit  on  the  part  of  both  parties 
to  the  great  strife  is  still  growing  and  strengthen- 

7 


8 


PREFACE 


ing,  in  spite  of  an  occasional  exhibition  of  folly  on 
both  sides  on  the  part  of  those  who  have  not  out- 
lived the  bitterness  of  the  past,  and  who  probably 
will  not  outlive  it.  The  time  will  certainly  come 
when  the  memories  of  the  conflict,  the  repetition 
of  the  stories  of  the  war,  and  even  the  partisan 
praise  bestowed  upon  the  heroes  of  both  sides,  will 
excite  no  more  ill  feeling  than  does  an  allusion  to 
the  War  of  the  Roses  in  England. 

In  this  country  the  advocate  of  either  side  will 
tell  his  story,  relate  his  history,  and  jingle  his 
verse  in  his  own  way,  and  from  his  own  stand- 
point. Those  upon  the  other  side  will  be  magnan- 
imous enough  to  tolerate  him,  at  least  in  silence. 
Histories,  romances,  poems,  and  plays  relating  to 
the  war,  are  produced  in  greater  numbers  as  the 
gap  between  the  days  of  battle  and  the  days  of 
peace  widens ; but  the  old  fires  are  not  rekindled, 
the  old  bitterness  still  slumbers,  and  the  Great 
United  Nation  still  lives  on  in  perfect  peace. 

The  author  hopes  he  has  done  nothing  on  these 
pages  to  impair  the  growing  harmony  between 
the  two  sections  which  have  happily  become  one, 
or  to  impregnate  the  minds  of  those  who  have 
been  born  sincg  the  strife  ended  with  any  of  its 


9 


PREFACE 

bitterness.  He  lias  endeavored  to  make  as  high- 
toned  men  on  the  one  side  as  the  other,  with  the 
same  moral  sentiment  in  the  one  party  as  the 
other,  and  to  exhibit  their  only  difference  in 
the  one  great  question  of  Union  or  Disunion. 


Dorchester,  May  2,  1889. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I.  page 

An  Unexpected  Visitor 15 

CHAPTER  II. 

A Difference  of  Opinion 27 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  Dignified  Naval  Officer 37 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Corny  Passford  plays  Another  Part  ...  48 

CHAPTER  V. 

Captain  Carboneer  and  his  Party  ....  59 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Cabin  of  the  Florence 70 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Midshipman  Christy  Passford  .....  81 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Arranging  the  Signals  92 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Approach  of  the  Vampire 103 


11 


12 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  X. 

A Shot  from  the  Long  Gun 

CHAPTER  XI. 

The  Battle  alongside  the  Belle vite  . 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Prisoner  of  War 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

After  the  Battle 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  Beginning  of  a Chase  . 

CHAPTER  XV. 

A Chase  off  the  Bermudas 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  Confederate  Steamer  Yazoo  . 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

A Satisfactory  Order 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Lieutenant  Passford  in  Command  . 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Some  Trouble  on  Board  the  Teaser 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Coming  to  the  Point  . . . . . 


PAGE 

. 114 


. 125 
. 136 
. 146 
. 157 
. 168 


. 179 
. 190 
. 201 
. 212 
. 223 


CONTENTS 


13 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

On  a Dark  and  Foggy  Night 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

A Variety  of  Night  Signals 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Another  Night  Expedition  . 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Lieutenant  Passford  on  a Mission  . 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Christy  becomes  a Victim  . 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

The  Action  on  the  Deck  of  the  Teaser 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

A Visit  from  Colonel  Homer  Passford  . 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

An  Enterprise  for  a Dark  Night  . 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

The  New  Mate  of  the  Cotton  Schooner 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

The  Prize-Master  of  the  Judith 


PAGE 

. 234 

. 245 

. 256 
. 206 
. 278 
. 289 
. 300 
. 311 
. 322 
. 333 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


CHAPTER  I 

AN  UNEXPECTED  VISITOR 

“ Cornelius  ! ” exclaimed  Captain  Passford,  as 
a young  man  of  nineteen  was  shown  into  the 
library  of  the  magnificent  dwelling  of  the  million- 
naire  at  Bonnydale,  on  the  Hudson. 

“ Cornelius  Passford,  Uncle  Horatio,”  replied 
the  young  man,  as  the  captain  rushed  to  him  and 
extended  his  hand. 

“ I think  there  can  be  no  mistake  about  it ; 
and  I should  have  been  no  more  surprised  if  Mr. 
Jefferson  Davis  had  been  ushered  into  my  library 
at  this  moment,”  continued  Captain  Passford,  still 
retaining  the  hand  of  his  nephew.  “ I understood 
that  you  were  a soldier  in  the  Confederate  army.” 

“ I was  a soldier ; but  I am  not  one  just  now,” 
replied  the  visitor,  with  some  embarrassment  in 

15 


16 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


his  manner,  though  the  circumstances  were  strange 
enough  to  account  for  it. 

“ How  are  your  father  and  mother  and  Miss 
Gerty,  Corny  ? ” asked  the  uncle  of  the  visitor, 
giving  the  young  man  the  name  by  which  he  was 
generally  called  both  at  home  and  in  the  family  of 
his  uncle. 

“ They  were  all  very  well  when  I left  them,” 
replied  Corny,  looking  on  the  floor,  as  though  he 
was  not  altogether  satisfied  with  himself. 

“ Of  course,  you  brought  letters  from  your 
father  and  Gerty  ? ” 

“ No,  sir  ; I brought  no  letters,”  replied  Corny, 
and,  more  than  before,  he  looked  as  though  he  was 
not  enjoying  his  present  visit. 

“No  letters  ! ” exclaimed  Captain  Passford,  evi- 
dently surprised  beyond  measure  at  the  apparent 
want  of  kindly  feeling  on  the  part  of  members  of 
his  brother’s  family  in  the  South. 

“ Not  a letter,  Uncle  Horatio,”  answered  Corny, 
bracing  himself  up,  as  though  he  realized  that  he 
was  not  presenting  a demeanor  such  as  he  thought 
the  occasion  required  of  him. 

“ This  is  very  strange,”  added  Captain  Pass- 
ford,  with  a cloud  playing  on  his  fine  features. 


AN  UNEXPECTED  VISITOR 


17 


44  It  is  war  between  the  North  and  the  South, 
Uncle  Horatio,  and  I suppose  my  father  did  not 
feel  like  writing  any  letters.  Gerty  never  writes 
any  letters  if  she  can  help  it,”  Corny  explained. 

44  But  Gerty  used  to  write  to  Florry  about  once 
a week.” 

44  Did  she  ? I didn’t  know  it.  She  never  would 
write  to  me  when  I was  away  from  home,”  said 
Corny,  who  seemed  to  be  very  anxious  not  to  say 
anything  that  was  not  consistent  with  the  present 
situation,  whatever  it  was. 

44  When  I parted  with  my  brother  on  board  of 
the  Bellevite,  both  of  us  (shed  tears  as  we  realized 
that  war  made  enemies  of  us  ; but  each  of  us 
promised  to  do  all  he  could  for  the  other  in  case  of 
need.  I am  very  sure  that  there  was  not  the 
slightest  unkind  feeling  between  us.  Of  course,  I 
did  not  expect  him  to  write  me  the  war  news,  but 
I think  he  could  have  written  a few  lines  without 
any  allusion  to  the  war,”  said  Captain  Passford, 
pained  at  this  want  of  fraternal  affection  on  the 
part  of  his  brother. 

At  that  moment  the  bell  for  tea  rang,  and  the 
captain  invited  his  nephew  to  the  table  with  him. 
The  host  was  saddened  by  the  absence  of  news  from 


18 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


his  brother,  of  any  kindly  expression  from  one  who 
was  of  the  same  blood  as  himself.  He  was  not 
quite  satisfied  with  Corny’s  manner,  or  with  the 
little  he  seemed  to  be  willing  to  say  about  the  rest 
of  the  family.  It  was  certainly  very  strange  that 
the  young  man  should  be  there  at  all,  and  his  awk 
wardness  and  confusion  made  the  visit  seem  still 
more  singular. 

It  was  possible  that  the  young  man  had  just 
arrived  and  was  fatigued  by  the  trials  and  perils 
of  his  trip,  for  he  must  have  come  by  some  round- 
about way ; and  very  likely  he  felt  nervous  and 
uneasy  in  the  midst  of  people  who  were  loyal  to 
the  government  and  the  Union.  Captain  Passford 
decided  to  say  nothing  more  to  his  nephew  at 
present  as  to  the  occasion  and  the  manner  of  his 
visit  to  Bonnydale,  and  during  the  evening  meal 
he  avoided  all  allusion  to  the  war,  so  far  as  it  was 
possible  to  do  so.  Mrs.  Passford  and  Florry 
received  him  very  kindly,  but  following  the  ex- 
ample of  the  head  of  the  family,  they  spoke  only 
of  domestic  affairs,  and  of  the  relations  of  the  two 
families  as  they  had  been  before  the  war. 

Between  the  brothers  Homer  and  Horatio  Pass- 
ford, even  from  their  early  boyhood,  a remarkably 


AN  UNEXPECTED  VISITOR 


19 


strong  fraternal  affection  had  subsisted.  Both  of 
them  were  high-toned  men,  and  both  of  them  had 
always  been  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  every 
duty  to  God  and  man.  Each  of  them  had  a wife, 
a son  and  a daughter,  and  two  happier  families 
could  not  have  been  found  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 
They  were  not  only  devoted  to  each  other,  each 
within  its  own  circle,  but  the  two  families  were  as 
nearly  one  as  it  was  possible  to  be. 

Captain  Horatio  had  formerly  been  a shipmaster, 
and  had  accumulated  an  immense  fortune.  Homer 
was  less  fortunate  in  this  respect,  and  his  tastes 
were  somewhat  different  from  those  of  his  brother. 
He  wanted  to  be  a planter,  and  with  the  financial 
assistance  of  his  brother,  he  went  into  the  business 
of  raising  cotton  near  Mobile,  in  Alabama.  But 
years  before  the  war,  he  had  paid  off  every  dollar 
of  his  indebtedness  to  Horatio,  and  had  made  a 
comfortable  fortune  besides.  The  two  families 
had  visited  each  other  as  much  as  possible,  and  the 
captain,  with  his  little  family,  had  been  almost  to 
the  plantation  in  the  Bellevite.  the  magnificent 
steam-yacht  of  the  Northerner. 

During  the  preceding  winter,  Captain  Passford, 
his  wife  and  son,  had  visited  most  of  the  islands  of 


20 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


the  Atlantic ; but  the  health  of  Miss  Florry  was 
considerably  impaired,  and  the  doctors  would  not 
permit  her  to  make  this  sea-voyage,  but  rec- 
ommended her  to  keep  quiet  in  some  southern 
locality.  She  had  therefore  passed  the  winter  at 
Glenfield,  which  was  the  name  of  Homer  Pass- 
ford’s  plantation.  On  his  return  from  this  long 
cruise,  the  owner  of  the  Bellevite  obtained  his  first 
news  that  war  existed  between  the  North  and 
the  South  from  the  pilot.  The  three  members  of 
the  family  on  board  of  the  steamer  were  greatly 
distressed  over  the  fact  that  Florry  was  still  at  the 
home  of  her  uncle  in  Alabama,  within  the  enemy’s 
lines. 

Without  going  on  shore,  Captain  Passford 
decided  to  arm  his  yacht,  which  was  large  enough 
for  a man-of-war,  and  hasten  to  Mobile  Bay  to 
bring  back  his  daughter.  He  was  in  doubt  with 
regard  to  the  political  feeling  of  Homer,  but 
believed  that  he  would  still  adhere  to  the  govern- 
ment and  the  Union.  It  was  a part  of  his  mission 
to  bring  his  brother  and  his  family  to  his  own 
home  at  Bonnydale.  Mrs.  Passford  was  sent  on 
shore  in  a tug,  and  Christy,  the  son,  was  to  go  with 
her ; but  the  young  man,  just  entering  his 


AN  UNEXPECTED  VISITOR 


21 


seventeenth  year,  protested  against  being  left  at 
home,  and  as  the  captain  believed  that  a patriotic 
citizen  ought  to  be  willing  to  give  his  all,  even  his 
sons,  to  his  country,  the  young  man  went  with  his 
father.  The  mother  was  as  devoted  to  her  country 
as  the  father,  and  terrible  as  was  the  ordeal,  she 
consented  to  part  with  him  for  such  a duty. 

By  an  event  fortunate  for  him,  Captain  Passford 
succeeded  in  obtaining  an  armament  for  his  vessel, 
as  well  as  an  abundant  supply  of  ammunition  ; and  * 
the  vessel  was  refitted  for  the  perilous  service  in 
which  she  was  to  be  engaged.  At  Nassau,  Christy 
made  the  acquaintance  of  a young  man  who  proved 
to  be  of  great  service  to  the  expedition,  and  the 
Bellevite  reached  her  destination  in  safety,  though 
not  without  some  rather  exciting  incidents. 

Captain  Passford  found  that  his  brother  was 
sincerely  and  devotedly  attached  to  the  Southern 
cause.  They  discussed  the  great  question  for 
hours  upon  hours,  each  striving  to  convert  the 
other  to  his  own  views,  but  with  no  success  on  the 
part  of  either.  Homer  Passford  was  a religious 
man,  conscientious  in  the  discharge  of  every  duty, 
and  nothing  less  could  be  said  of  his  Northern 
brother.  In  a short  time  the  owner  of  the  Belle- 


22 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


vite  found  that  he  had  fallen  into  a “ hornet’s  nest,” 
for  the  planter  did  not  believe  that  he  ought  to 
allow  the  steam-yacht  to  be  taken  to  New  York  to 
become  a part  of  the  navy  of  the  Union.  He 
declared  his  convictions  to  his  brother,  who  was 
compelled  to  regard  the  planter  as  an  enemy  in 
spite  of  the  relations  subsisting  between  them. 
Both  of  them  placed  their  duty  to  their  own 
country  above  every  other  consideration. 

Captain  Passford  was  obliged  to  get  his  daughter 
out  of  his  brother’s  house  by  stealth,  and  to  make 
his  escape  with  the  Belle  vite  as  best  he  could. 

Major  Bindley  Pierson,  in  command  of  Fort 
Gaines,  at  the  entrance  to  Mobile  Bay,  had  per- 
mitted the  steamer  to  pass,  having  been  deceived 
by  his  younger  brother.  He  had  been  a frequent 
visitor  at  the  mansion  of  Homer  Passford,  attracted 
there,  it  appeared,  by  the  lovely  daughter  of  the 
planter’s  brother,  remaining  there  for  the  winter. 
Perhaps  on  her  account,  perhaps  with  the  fear  that 
the  Bellevite  was  not  what  she  had  appeared  to  be, 
he  had  gone  to  the  vicinity  of  Glenfield  to  inquire 
into  the  mission  of  the  steamer. 

Homer  Passford,  acting  upon  his  convictions, 
gave  information  which  resulted  in  an  attempt  to 


AN  UNEXPECTED  VISITOR 


23 


capture  the  Bellevite.  Christy,  not  informed  in  re- 
gard to  the  plans  of  his  father  to  depart  at  once  in 
the  steamer,  was  “ Taken  by  the  Enemy,”  and  had 
some  very  stirring  adventures  in  the  bay.  But  the 
steamer  escaped  from  the  numerous  enemies  that 
awaited  her,  and  Christy  got  on  board  of  her  at  the 
last  minute.  The  Bellevite  ran  the  gantlet  of 
the  forts  in  a dense  fog,  and  brought  Miss  Florry 
in  safety  to  her  home  at  Bonny  dale. 

Corny  Passford,  whose  unexpected  arrival  at 
Bonny  dale  had  excited  the  astonishment  of  his 
uncle,  was  a year  older  than  Christy,  and  had  en- 
listed in  the  Confederate  service  at  the  instance  of 
Major  Pierson.  Without  knowing  anything  in  par- 
ticular about  the  matter,  his  uncle  believed,  at  his 
visit  to  Glenfield,  that  Corny  was  as  earnestly 
devoted  to  the  Southern  cause  as  his  father,  judg- 
ing entirely  from  the  fact  that  he  had  enlisted  as  a 
soldier. 

Corny  had  a good  appetite,  and  a good  supper 
was  set  before  him.  He  ate  like  a hungry  boy, 
and  the  fact  that  he  was  within  the  enemy’s  lines 
did  not  seem  to  have  any  influence  upon  him.  His 
aunt  helped  him  till  he  seemed  to  be  filled  to  reple- 
tion, for  she  thought  he  must  have  been  accus- 


24 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


tomed  of  late  only  to  the  most  indifferent  fare. 
After  supper,  he  followed  his  uncle  back  to  the 
library ; but  he  seemed  less  embarrassed  than 
before. 

“ Where  is  Christy,  Uncle  Horatio?”  asked 
Corny,  as  he  seated  himself  in  the  library.  “I 
have  not  seen  him  yet ; and  as  I was  away  at  the 
fort  when  you  went  to  Glenfield,  I did  not  see 
him  then.” 

“ I don’t  know  where  he  is  just  now,  though  he 
is  in  or  about  the  house  most  of  the  time,”  replied 
the  captain.  “ Are  you  still  in  the  army, 
Corny?” 

“ No,  sir,  I am  here.  I did  not  like  the  service 
very  well,  and  I thought  I should  like  the  navy 
better.  The  reason  why  I did  not  like  it  as  well 
as  at  first  was  because  1 was  no  longer  in  Major 
Pierson’s  battalion,”  replied  Corny,  looking  at  his 
uncle  as  though  he  expected  a question  from  him. 

“ Then  Major  Pierson  is  no  longer  in  the 
army  ? ” added  the  captain. 

“ Oh,  yes,  he  is ; but  I think  he  was  the  maddest 
man  in  the  army  soon  after  you  left.” 

“ Indeed  ! Why  was  he  so  mad  ? ” 

“ Because  he  was  removed  from  command  of 


AN  UNEXPECTED  VISITOR 


25 


Fort  Gaines  for  letting  you  pass  it  in  your 
steamer.” 

“ Then  he  is  still  in  the  service  ? ” asked  Cap- 
tain Passford. 

“ Yes,  sir  ; he  is  a good  officer,  and  he  will  make 
his  way,  if  he  was  guilty  of  a blunder  in  letting 
the  Bellevite  pass  the  fort.” 

“ Then  you  intend  to  be  a sailor,  Corny  ? ” 

“ Yes,  sir  ; in  fact,  I am  a sailor  now.  I had 
been  in  your  yacht  so  much  that  I knew  something 
about  the  ropes,  and  I had  no  difficulty  in  getting 
transferred,  as  sailors  were  wanted  more  than  sol- 
diers,” replied  Corny,  who  seemed  to  be  studying 
the  figures  in  the  carpet. 

“ But  if  you  went  into  the  navy,  how  do  you 
happen  to  be  in  New  York  ? ” asked  Captain  Pass- 
ford. 

“ I suppose  you  remember  the.  Dauphine,  which 
was  fitting  out  when  you  were  in  Mobile  Bay  ? ” 
continued  Corny. 

I heard  the  name,  and  was  told  that  she  was 
one  of  the  vessels  that  tried  to  prevent  the  escape 
of  the  Bellevite.” 

“ I was  sent  on  board  of  her ; but,  in  coming 
out  of  the  bay,  she  was  captured  by  a Federal 


26 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


vessel,  and  sent  to  New  York.  I hid  myself  when 
the  crew  were  taken  off,  and  came  in  her  here,” 
replied  Corny,  still  studying  the  carpet. 

Captain  Passford  had  not  heard  of  the  capture 
of  the  Dauphine.  He  was  not  quite  satisfied  with 
the  story  of  his  nephew.  But  he  was  obliged  to 
go  to  the  city,  and  he  handed  the  guest  over  to 
his  wife  and  daughter.  Corny  wanted  to  see 
Christy,  and  Mrs.  Passford  had  begun  to  be  uneasy 
that  he  did  not  return  at  dark.  Corny  went  out 
to  find  him. 


A DIFFERENCE  OF  OPINION 


27 


CHAPTER  II 

A DIFFERENCE  OF  OPINION 

The  Bellevite  lay  in  the  river,  off  the  estate  of 
Captain  Passford,  though  at  a little  distance  below 
the  mansion,  from  the  windows  of  which  she  could 
not  be  seen.  Corny  walked  down  the  avenue  and 
over  the  hill,  in  the  direction  of  the  anchorage  of 
the  steamer.  The  boat-house  was  near  the  man- 
sion, and  to  the  float  attached  to  it  a variety  of 
small  craft  were  made  fast.  But  the  water  was 
not  deep  enough  there  for  the  Bellevite.  Corny 
had  been  to  Bonnydale,  and  passed  many  weeks 
there,  so  that  he  was  familiar  with  the  localities. 

As  he  passed  the  boat-house,  he  noticed  that  the 
Florence,  which  was  Christy’s  favorite  sailing 
craft,  was  not  at  her  moorings,  and  he  concluded 
that  his  cousin  was  away  in  her  on  some  excur- 
sion. When  he  reached  the  boundary  line  of  the 
estate,  he  discovered  the  sailboat  with  her  bow  on 
the  beach,  though  her  mainsail  was  still  set.  A 


28 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


gentle  breeze  was  blowing,  with  which  the  Flor- 
ence could  make  good  headway  ; but  there  seemed 
to  be  no  one  on  board  of  her.  Corny  watched  her 
for  some  time,  waiting  for  the  appearance  of 
Christy.  It  was  not  an  easy  matter  to  climb  the 
high  fence  which  bounded  the  estate,  and  the 
planter’s  son  could  hail  the  boat,  and  be  taken  on 
board  of  her  as  soon  as  she  got  under  way  again. 

But  Christy  did  not  appear,  and  it  was  getting 
darker  and  darker  every  minute.  Something  must 
have  attracted  the  attention  of  the  skipper  on 
shore,  and  he  had  doubtless  landed.  But  while 
Corny  was  waiting  for  his  cousin,  he  saw  two  men 
making  their  way  through  the  grove  on  the  other 
side  of  the  fence  towards  the  river.  One  of  them 
he  recognized,  and  gave  a peculiar  whistle,  which 
drew  the  two  men  in  the  direction  from  which  it 
came. 

“Is  that  you,  major?  ” asked  Corny,  in  a low  tone. 

“ Hush ! You  are  a simpleton,  Corny  ! ” ex- 
claimed one  of  the  men,  as  he  came  up  to  the  pali- 
sades of  the  fence.  “ Didn’t  I tell  you  not  to  call 
me  by  name  ? ” 

“ I didn’t  call  you  by  name,”  replied  Corny, 
smartly. 


A DIFFERENCE  OF  OPINION 


29 


“ You  called  me  major,  and  that  is  about  the 
same  thing,”  added  the  speaker  on  the  other  side 
of  the  fence. 

“ The  woods  are  full  of  majors  now,  both  in  the 
North  and  the  South,  and  no  one  knows  you  espe- 
cially by  that  name.  But  I will  remember  in 
future,  Mr.  Mulgate,”  replied  Corny. 

“That  sounds  better,  Neal.  If  we  lose  the 
game  it  will  be  by  your  blundering,”  continued 
the  major,  or  Mulgate,  as  he  preferred  to  be  called 
on  the  present  occasion. 

“ I suppose  you  have  no  talent  for  blundering, 
Mulgate ; and  that  is  the  reason  why  you  happen 
to  be  here  at  the  present  moment,”  retorted  Corny, 
not  at  all  pleased  with  the  speech  of  the  other. 

“None  of  your  impudence,  Neal!”  said  Mul- 
gate, sharply. 

“ If  you  lose  the  game,  you  say  that  it  will  be  by 
my  blundering,  Mulgate,”  continued  Corny.  “ That 
makes  it  seem  as  though  I was  to  bear  the  respon- 
sibility of  a failure  ; and  I don’t  like  the  looks,  of 
things.  If  I am  to  be  responsible  for  a failure,  I 
ought  to  have  something  to  say  about  the  manner 
of  conducting  the  enterprise.” 

“ Shut  up,  Neal ! We  have  no  time  to  talk 


30 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


nonsense  of  that  sort.  I am  to  conduct  the  enter- 
prise, and  you  are  to  obey  my  orders.  That  is  the 
whole  of  it,”  replied  Mulgate,  impatient  at  the 
position  taken  by  the  young  man.  “ You  are  still 
under  my  command,  and  you  will  obey  me  or 
take  the  consequences.  Now  to  business : what 
have  you  learned  ? ” 

“ Nothing  at  all,”  answered  Corny,  rather  sul- 
lenly. 

“ What  have  you  been  about  ? Haven’t  you 
discovered  anything?  ” 

“ Nothing  at  all ; I have  but  just  arrived  here. 
I took  supper  with  my  uncle,  and  told  him  the  fish 
story  you  invented  for  me.” 

u Did  he  believe  it  ? ” 

“ I don’t  know  whether  he  did  or  not ; but  he 
and  the  rest  of  the  family  treated  me  very  hand- 
somely, which  made  me  feel  meaner  than  a dead 
catfish.” 

“ Never  mind  your  feelings;  you  are  here  to 
assist  in  a great  enterprise,  and  you  are  expected 
to  do  your  duty  to  your  country  without  regard  to 
your  own  notions.  Report  what  you  have  done.” 

“ I haven't  done  anything  but  introduce  myself 
into  the  house,  and  explain  how  I happen  to  be 


85/C6/07 


SNAG 


940.5426L8856 


84-975 


16-4k  2950193 


1984 

C001 

LOR  ELL  I * JOHN  A.,  1946- 

THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KOMANDORSKI 
ISLANDS,  MARCH  1943$  ANNAPOLIS 

, MC. 

PUBLIC  (P)  CBLS 
CORK  BELT  LIBRARY  SYSTEM 
1NTERLIERARY  DELIVERY  SYSTEM 
ILDS  RCLTE  3 

CAMPUS  IRR  (UIUC) 

SNAGD  85/06/04  85/06/07 


LIBRARY:  HISTORY 

TERMINAL:  UIRRC1 

PATRON  IC:  000-47-1101 


FEB  131986 


0CT  3i  use 


A DIFFERENCE  OF  OPINION 


31 


here,”  replied  Corny,  as  he  proceeded  to  give  the 
details  of  his  meeting  with  his  uncle. 

“ Is  Miss  Florry  at  home  ? ” asked  cMidgate,  in  a 
more  gentle  tone,  as  though  he  had  a deeper  inter- 
est in  the  direction  he  had  indicated. 

“ She  is  at  home,  and  was  at  the  supper  table 
with  us.” 

“ How  does  she  seem  to  be  ? ” asked  the  stranger. 

“ First  rate;  sfie  is  as  jolly  as  though  no  one 
ever  heard  of  such  a thing  as  war,”  replied  Corny, 
with  enthusiasm. 

“ Did  she  say  anything  about  her  stay  at  Glen- 
field  ? ” inquired  Mulgate,  whose  interest  seemed 
to  mount  to  the  pitch  of  anxiety. 

“Not  a word;  she  did  not  even  hint  at  Glen- 
field,  or  anything  connected  with  it,”  answered 
Corny ; and,  after  the  sharp  tones  of  the  other,  he 
seemed  to  take  pleasure  in  thorning  him  with  neg- 
ative answers. 

“ Did  she  say  anything  about  me  ? ” 

“Not  a word.” 

“ Didn’t  she  mention  my  name  ? ” 

“ She  did  not.” 

“Didn’t  she  ask  about  my  health,  or  want  to 
know  where  I was  ? ” 


32 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ Florry  did  not  allude  to  you  in  any  manner. 
If  she  wanted  to  know  where  you  were,  she  did 
not  say  a word  about  it  to  me/’  replied  Corny,  in 
the  most  decided  tones. 

It  was  still  light  enough  to  see  that  there  was 
something  like  a frown  on  the  brow  of  Mr.  Mul- 
gate.  He  had  evidently  believed  that  the  daughter 
of  the  millionnaire  of  Bonnydale  was  interested  in 
him,  and  his  inquiries  indicated  that  he  expected 
her  to  ask  about  him  ; but  she  had  not  made  the 
remotest  allusion  to  him.  Besides,  she  was  as 
jolly  as  she  had  been  at  Glenfield,  when  war  was  a 
matter  of  the  future,  which  few  believed  would 
ever  be  realized.  She  had  not  grown  thin  and 
pale  during  her  absence  from  him,  and  she  did 
not  appear  to  be  wasting  her  sweetness  in  pining 
for  him. 

“What  in  the  world  are  you  talking  about, 
Mulgate  ? ” suddenly  demanded  his  companion  on 
his  side  of  the  fence.  “ I thought  we  were  here 
for  business,  and  you  are  talking  about  some 
girl.” 

“ She  is  the  lady  of  whom  I spoke  to  you ; she 
spent  the  last  winter  with  her  uncle  at  the  Glen- 
field Plantation.  I am  interested  in  her/’  replied 


A DIFFERENCE  OF  OPINION 


83 


Mulgate,  as  though  he  had  given  a sufficient 
excuse  for  the  questions  he  had  put  to  Corny. 

“ Are  we  to  capture  her  and  take  her  back  to 

* 

the  State  of  Alabama  ? ” demanded  the  other,  who 
seemed  to  be  a gentleman  of  forty  at  least. 

“ I don’t  know ; that  depends ; but,  Captain 
Carboneer,  I hope  you  will  be  my  friend  in  this 
little  matter,”  added  Mulgate. 

“ I don’t  know  anything  about  the  little  matter ; 
but  I am  not  willing  to  jeopardize  the  enterprise 
that  brings  us  here  to  help  you  out  with  a love 
affair,”  replied  the  older  gentleman.  “ There  will 
be  time  enough  for  you  to  look  for  a wife  after  the 
war  is  over,  and  you  have  more  time  to  attend  to 
the  affair.” 

“ Mr.  Mulgate,  I should  like  to  know  something 
more  about  your  intentions  before  we  go  any 
farther,”  interposed  Corny,  in  a tone  so  decided 
that  Mulgate  had  to  listen  to  him,  especially  as  lie 
had  obtained  so  little  sympathy  from  the  elderly 
gentleman. 

“ Speak  quick  then,  for  we  have  no  time  to 
spare,”  added  Mulgate. 

“ Do  I understand  from  what  you  have  said 
that  yo\i  intend  to  take  Florry  Passford  back  to 


34 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


the  South  with  you?  ” asked  Corny,  with  his  teeth 
closely  pressed  together,  so  that  it  was  rather  diffi- 
cult for  him  to  speak  intelligibly. 

“ I answer,  as  I did  before,  that  I don’t  know 
what  I shall  do ; that  depends,”  replied  Mulgate 
evasively. 

“ Depends  upon  what  ? ” 

“ I have  no  time  to  discuss  that  matter  now,” 
added  Mulgate,  turning  to  his  companion. 

“ But  I have  time  to  say  that  I will  ruin  the 
whole  enterprise  if  you  mean  to  commit  an  out- 
rage such  as  you  appear  to  have  in  your  mind,” 
replied  Corny,  as  vigorously  as  though  he  had 
been  the  military  equal  of  the  one  he  had  called 
“ major  ” by  accident. 

“ Do  you  mean  to  be  a traitor  to  your  country, 
Neal  ? ” demanded  Mulgate  angrily. 

u Neither  to  my  country  nor  to  my  uncle.” 

“ Your  uncle  is  a Yankee,  and  is  doing  all  he  can 
to  subjugate  the  free  South.  He  has  no  rights  which 
we  are  bound  to  respect,”  said  Mulgate  fiercely. 

“ This  will  never  do,”  interposed  Captain  Car- 
boneer;  and  this  may  or  may  not  have  been  his 
real  name.  u We  are  getting  into  a disagreement 
at  the  very  first  step  of  our  enterprise.” 


A DIFFERENCE  OF  OPINION 


35  * 


“I  don’t  know  you,  Captain  Carboneer,  but  I 
wish  to  be  understood  as  meaning  every  word  I 
have  said ; and  I will  wreck  this  enterprise,  if  I am 
shot  for  it,  rather  than  allow  my  cousin  to  be 
carried  off  in  connection  with  it,”  protested  Corny 
stoutly.  “ I will  do  my  duty  faithfully ; but  I will 
not  assist  in  robbing  my  uncle  of  his  daughter.” 

“ You  are  quite  right,  young  man ; and  I would 
rather  be  sent  to  the  fort  as  a prisoner  of  war  than 
take  part  in  such  an  enterprise,”  added  Captain 
Carboneer,  in  mild  but  forcible  tones. 

u You  astonish  me,  captain  1 ” said  Mulgate. 
“ Why  do  you  talk  about  an  outrage  ? I claim  to 
be  a gentleman, 'and  to  be  above  any  such  villany 
as  you  and  Corny  suggest.  I do  not  propose  to 
rob  Captain  Passford  of  his  daughter.  What  I 
may  do  depends — depends  upon  the  consent  of 
the  lady.  If  she  is  willing  to  go  with  me  ” — 

“ She  is  not  willing  to  go  with  you  ; and  she 
never  will  be  willing  to  go  with  you,”  Corny  inter- 
posed. “ I don't  know  what  you  are  thinking 
about,  Mr.  Mulgate;  but  Florry  cares  no  more 
about  you  than  she  does  about  Uncle  Pedro,  my 
father’s  house-servant.  She  saw  you  both  at  Glen- 
field,  and  I can’t  tell  which  she  likes  best.” 


86 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


u We  had  better  drop  the  subject,”  added  Cap- 
tain Carboneer. 

“ Drop  it,  then,”  replied  Mulgate  sullenly. 
“ Get  over  the  fence,  Corny.  Nobody  is  using 
that  sailboat,  and  we  may  as  well  take  it  for  a 
while.” 


THE  DIGNIFIED  NAVAL  OFFICER 


37 


CHAPTER  HI 

THE  DIGNIFIED  NAVAL  OFFICER 

Corny  climbed  over  the  high  palisade  fence, 
with  the  assistance  of  Mulgate,  and  the  party 
walked  to  the  sailboat  at  the  beach  below.  By 
this  time  it  was  dark,  though  the  gloom  was  not 
very  dense  under  a clear  sky. 

“ Do  you  know  anything  about  this  boat, 
Corny  ? ” asked  Mulgate,  as  the  trio  approached 
the  handsome  craft,  for  such  she  was  beyond  a 
doubt. 

The  crusty  tones  of  the  speaker  indicated  that 
he  had  not  yet  recovered  from  the  set-back  he  had 
plainly  received  in  the  late  conversation,  though 
he  denied  that  he  had  any  evil  intentions  in  regard 
to  Miss  Florry. 

“ I do  ; I know  all  about  her,”  replied  Corny. 

“Well,  why  don’t  you  tell  what  you  know?” 
demanded  Mulgate. 

“What  do  you  wish  to  know  about  her?”  in- 


38 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


quired  Corny,  who  was  disposed  to  maintain  his 
equality  in.  spite  of  the  military  rank  of  his  com- 
panion, which  he  had  incautiously  betrayed  in  the 
beginning. 

“ Whose  boat  is  it  ?”  asked  Mulgate. 

“ She  belongs  to  my  cousin,  Christy  Passford.” 

“ Where  is  he  now  ? ” 

“ I don’t  know,  sir.” 

“ Was  he  at  the  house  when  you  were  there?” 
“He  was  not;  and  his  mother  had  become 
rather  anxious  because  he  did  not  return  to  sup- 
per,” replied  Corny,  becoming  a little  more  pliable. 

“ This  is  a rather  large  boat,  Captain  Carbo- 
neer,”  added  Mulgate,  as  he  surveyed  the  trim 
sloop.  “ She  is  rather  too  large  for  our  purpose.” 

“ She  will  answer  very  well,”  replied  the  cap- 
tain, as  he  applied  his  shoulder  to  the  stem  of  the 
craft  to  ascertain  how  heavily  she  rested  upon  the 
beach.  “ Now,  do  you  know  whether  there  is  any 
person  on  board  of  that  steamer  ? ” 

“Of  course,  I don’t  know  anything  about  it,” 
said  Mulgate. 

“ I am  sure  I don’t,”  added  Corny. 

“ I sent  you  up  here  to  ascertain  all  about  the 
Bellevite,”  continued  Mulgate,  rather  sharply. 


THE  DIGNIFIED  NAVAL  OFFICER 


39 


44  I have  not  had.  time  to  find  out  anything,” 
Corny  explained,  with  some  indignation  in  his 
tones. 

44  Corny  has  done  as  well  as  he  could  in  the  time 
he  has  had  to  do  it  in,”  interposed  Captain  Car- 
boneer.  u I think  you  are  inclined  to  stir  up  bad 
blood  with  this  young  man,  Mulgate.  It  appears 
now  that  you  have  a purpose  of  your  own  to 
accomplish,  and  that  Corny  will  not  allow  you  to 
carry  it  out.” 

44  My  first  purpose  is  the  same  as  your  own,” 
replied  Mulgate. 

44  You  admit  that  you  have  a second  object;  and 
I cannot  tell  when  you  will  decide  to  make  it  your 
principal  purpose,”  added  Captain  Carboneer.  44 1 
am  not  satisfied  with  the  situation.  I have  done 
everything  I can  to  accomplish  our  patriotic 
object.  You  endanger  it  by  your  crusty  manner 
to  this  young  man,  who  seems  to  be  willing  to  do 
his  duty  ; and  he  is  in  a position  to  be  of  great 
service  to  our  enterprise.” 

44  If  you  think  it  is  necessary,  1 will  take  off  my 
cap  to  this  young  man,”  said  Mulgate,  with  a sneer 
in  his  tones. 


44  Be  reasonable,  Mulgate.’* 


40 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ What  can  I do  more  than  I have  done?” 
demanded  the  military  gentleman,  as  his  title 
indicated  that  he  was. 

“ The  first  thing  to  do  on  your  part  is  to 
renounce  this  idea  of  taking  a lady  passenger  with 
you  in  the  steamer,”  replied  Captain  Carboneer,  in 
a very  decided  tone.  “ Women  are  not  permitted 
on  board  of  naval  vessels,  especially  in  time  of 
war.” 

“ I don’t  think  I have  any  idea  to  renounce,” 
muttered  Mulgate. 

“ You  certainly  hinted  that  you  desired  to  take 
a lady  on  board,  and  convey  her  to  our  destina- 
tion,” said  the  captain,  rather  earnestly. 

“ Not  against  her  will,  as  you  and  Corny  will 
have  it,”  protested  Mulgate. 

“ Do  you  renounce  that  plan  or  that  idea,  what- 
ever it  may  be  ? ” 

“ I do  not  renounce  it.  If  the  lady  is  willing  to 
go  with  me,  as  I believe  she  will  be,  I know  of  no 
reason  why  she  should  not  go  as  a passenger,” 
argued  Mulgate. 

“ I think  we  had  better  abandon  the  enterprise 
in  the  beginning,  for  I think  we  can  be  of  more 
service  to  our  country  at  liberty  than  within  the 


THE  DIGNTFIED  NAVAL  OFFICER  41 

walls  of  Fort  Lafayette,"  added  tlie  captain,  witli 
not  a little  disgust  mingled  with  his  indigna- 
tion. 

Whatever  his  object  in  visiting  this  locality,  he 
was  clearly  av  high-toned  gentleman,  and  the  idea 
of  prosecuting  a love  adventure  in  connection  with 
what  he  regarded  as  a highly  patriotic  duty  was 
repulsive  to  his  nature.  He  found  by  trial  that 
the  Florence  was  not  grounded  very  hard  on  the 

beach,  for  the  tide  was  rising,  and  he  drew  the 

% 

boat  farther  up  from  the  water,  as  he  turned  to 
walk  away  from  the  spot. 

“ Am  I to  understand  that  you  retire  from  this 
enterprise,  Captain  Carboneer  ? ” asked  Mulgate. 

“ Am  I to  understand  that  you  renounce  your 
scheme  to  carry  off  a woman  as  a part  of  the  enter- 
prise ? ” demanded  the  captain. 

“ I do  not  renounce  it,  though  I have  no  inten- 
tion to  carry  off  a woman,  as  you  put  it.  The 
most  I have  asked  is  that  she  be  permitted  to 
go  as  a passenger  of  her  own  free  will,”  replied 
Mulgate. 

u She  never  will  go  with  him  of  her  own  free 
will,”  interposed  Corny. 

“ I will  not  have  a woman  on  board  of  the 


42 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY'S  LINES 


vessel,  whether  she  goes  willingly  or  otherwise. 
Do  you  renounce  that  scheme  entirely  ? ” 

“ I think  you  are  driving  me  into  a small  corner, 
Captain  Carboneer.” 

“ After  what  you  have  said  before,  I think  I am 
fully  justified  in  what  I require.  With  your  pri- 
vate affairs,  I have  nothing  to  do.  If  you  choose 
to  marry  this  young  lady,  I have  nothing  to  say 
about  that ; but  no  woman  can  be  a passenger  in  a 
war  vessel  under  my  command.  After  I have 
landed  you  at  Bermuda  or  Nassau,  I shall  not 
attempt  to  run  the  blockade,  which  is  now  enforced, 
in  order  to  land  you  and  the  lady.  Besides,  we 
may  be  in  action  at  any  time  after  we  get  under 
way.’' 

“ Then  if  I do  not  yield  the  point,  you  intend  to 
leave  me  to  carry  out  this  enterprise  alone  ? ” 
demanded  Mulgate. 

“In  that  case,  I wish  to  go  with  you,  Captain 
Carboneer,”  added  Corny,  with  emphasis.  “ But 
1 want  it  understood  that  I shall  not  leave  Bonny- 
dale  without  telling  my  uncle  to  look  out  for  his 
daughter.'’ 

“ Then  you  mean  to  be  a traitor,  Corny  ? ” said 
Mulgate  angrily. 


THE  DIGNIFIED  NAVAL  OFFICER 


43 


64  Call  it  what  you  like.” 

“All  this  is  absurd,  Mulgate,”  interposed  Cap- 
tain Carboneer.  44  Without  my  resources,  you  can 
do  nothing  at  all,  and  it  would  be  foolish  for  you 
to  attempt  the  capture  of  the  vessel.  You  are  not 
a sailor  or  a navigator,  and  you  could  do  nothing 
with  the  vessel  if  you  succeeded  in  getting  her  to 
sea.” 

44 1 have  no  doubt  I could  find  a hundred  men 
in  New  York,  including  half  a score  of  navigators, 
to  assist  me  in  this  enterprise,”  replied  Mulgate. 

44 1 have  another  steamer  in  view,  though  the 
Bellevite  is  vastly  superior  to  anything  I know  of 
in  speed  and  general  fitness.  Do  as  you  think 
best,  Mulgate ; and  I shall  be  able  to  explain  in 
a satisfactory  manner  my  failure  to  obtain  this 
vessel.” 

44  The  fault  will  be  mine,  I suppose,”  muttered 
Mulgate. 

44  The  court-martial  will  decide  that  point,” 
replied  the  captain. 

Mulgate  seemed  to  be  buried  in  his  own  reflec- 
tions, no  doubt  suggested  by  the  last  remark  of 
the  other.  Possibly  he  considered  that  the  failure 
of  such  an  important  enterprise  because  he  had  in- 


44  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 

sisted  upon  bringing  a lady  into  the  affair  would 
not  sound  well  at  home.  Whatever  he  was  think- 
ing about,  he  was  greatly  agitated,  and  Captain 
Carboneer  walked  in  the  direction  of  the  road, 
half  a mile  from  the  river.  He  had  no  time  to 
consider  the  matter:  he  must  yield  at  once,  or 
abandon  the  scheme. 

“ I will  do  anything  you  ask,  Captain  Carbo- 
neer!” he  shouted,  forgetting,  in  his  excitement, 
the  demand  for  secrecy. 

The  naval  officer,  as  his  conversation  indicated 
that  he  was,  turned  and  retraced  his  steps  to  the 
beach.  He  did  not  seem  to  be  at  all  excited 
because  his  associate  had  changed  his  mind,  for  in 
his  judgment  it  would  have  been  worse  than  mad- 
ness for  him  to  persist  in  his  intentions. 

“I  have  stated  the  case  as  I understand  it,  and 
I have  nothing  more  to  say,  Mulgate,”  said  he. 

“ I renounce  my  scheme,  and  I will  not  ask  that 
the  lady  be  a passenger  even  to  Bermuda  or  Nas- 
sau,” replied  Mulgate,  though  not  without  a con- 
siderable display  of  emotion. 

“Very  well;  that  is  enough.  Nothing  more 
need  be  said  about  your  purpose,  since  you  have 
renounced  it.  Now  we  will  visit  the  Bellevite, 


THE  DIGNIFIED  NAVAL  OFFICER 


45 


and  learn  what  we  can  in  regard  to  her,”  said  the 
naval  officer,  in  his  usual  quiet  manner,  and 
whether  he  was  a Confederate  or  a Unionist,  one 
could  hardly  have  failed  to  be  impressed  by  his 
dignified  deportment. 

At  the  request  of  Captain  Carboneer,  Mulgate 
climbed  to-  the  forward  deck  of  the  Florence. 
She  was  twenty -eight  feet  long,  and  her  deck 
covered  more  than  half  of  her  length.  She  had  a 
very  large  cabin  for  a boat  of  her  size,  which  was 
fitted  up  with  berths,  with  a cook-room  forward 
of  it,  for  Christy  Passford  was  often  absent  a week 
in  her. 

“ I think  Corny  had  better  go  back  to  the  house, 
and  keep  an  eye  on  Christy,  so  as  to  make  sure 
that  he  does  not  disturb  us,”  suggested  Mulgate, 
as  the  planter’s  son  was  about  to  go  on  board  of 
the  yacht. 

u I think  we  shall  want  him,  and  he  had  better 
be  with  us,”  replied  the  captain,  as  one  would 
speak  when  he  expected  to  be  obeyed. 

Corny  climbed  up  the  stem  of  the  Florence. 
He  had  never  seen  the  captain  before,  and  had  not 
even  been  informed  who  and  what  he  was  ; but  he 
appeared  to  be  a more  important  person  than  Mul- 


46 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


gate,  and  he  did  not  wait  for  the  latter  to  argue 
his  point.  He  had  sailed  in  the  Florence  very 
often,  and  he  knew  all  about  her.  He  took  a boat- 
hook, and  planted  its  point  on  the  beach,  in  readi- 
ness to  shove  off. 

• “ Not  yet,  Corny,”  said  the  naval  officer,  as  he 
sprang  lightly  to  the  deck  of  the  sailboat.  “ Let 
us  see  where  we  are  before  we  do  anything.” 
Captain  Carboneer  seated  himself  on  one  of 
the  cushioned  seats  in  the  standing-room,  and 
looked  about  him.  A steamer  towing  a multitude 
of  canal  boats  was  approaching,  and  he  waited  for 
it  to  pass.  Then  no  steamer  or  other  craft  was  to 
be  seen  on  the  river. 

“ So  far  as  I have  been  able  to  discover,  there 
are  only  two  men  on  board  of  the  Bellevite,  and  I 
think  we  have  not  a moment  to  lose,”  said  the 
naval  officer,  when  he  saw  that  the  river  was  clear 
of  everything  that  might  interfere  with  his  plans. 
“ But  we  must  go  on  board  of  her,  and  make  sure 
of  everything  before  we  commit  ourselves.” 

“ As  you  said,  Captain  Carboneer,  I am  no 
sailor ; and  you  don’t  think  of  taking  the  steamer 
out  of  the  river  alone  ? ” added  Mulgate. 

“ I have  not  come  here  on  a fool’s  errand,  Major 


THE  DIGNIFIED  NAVAL  OFFICER 


47 


Pierson,”  replied  the  captain.  “We  are  alone 
now,  and  we  may  call  things  by  their  right 
names.” 

“ But  I don’t  care  to  have  my  name  used  in  this 
vicinity,”  interposed  this  gentleman,  when  ad- 
dressed by  his  own  name. 

“ Your  wish  in  this  respect  shall  be  respected, 
Mr.  Mulgate.  I was  about  to  say  that  I had  a 
ship’s  company  all  ready  to  take  possession  of  this 
craft,  to  handle  her  at  sea,  and  even  to  fight  a 
battle  if  necessary.” 

“ But  where  are  your  ship’s  company  ? ” asked 
Mulgate,  as  he  wished  still  to  be  called. 

“ I will  produce  them  at  the  right  time.  Now 
you  may  shove  her  off,  Corny,”  added  the  captain, 
as  he  took  the  wheel. 


48 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


CHAPTER  IV 

CORNY  PASSFORD  PLAYS  ANOTHER  PART 

Captain  Carboneer  brought  the  Florence 
about,  and  headed  her  across  the  river.  The 
Bellevite  was  moored  a short  distance  from  the 
estate  down  the  stream. 

“ I have  been  up  here  before  to-day,”  said  the 
naval  officer,  as  the  boat  moved  away  from  the 
shore,  assuring  him  that  no  one  could  be  near 
enough  to  hear  what  he  said. 

“ We  only  reached  New  York  yesterday,  and  I 
don’t  see  how  you  can  have  picked  up  a ship’s 
company  in  that  time,”  replied  Mulgate. 

“ I sent  the  men  before  I came  myself.  I have 
stationed  them  in  various  places  on  the  river, 
where  I can  get  them  when  I want  them ; and  I 
shall  want  them  before  the  sun  rises  to-morrow 
morning,”  replied  the  captain. 

u To-night ! ” exclaimed  Mulgate,  who  seemed 
to  be  astounded  at  the  revelation. 


I 


CORNY  PASSFORD  PLAYS  ANOTHER  PART  49 

“ Yes,  to-night ; in  a few  hours  from  now.  I 
have  obtained  all  the  information  I could  in  regard 
to  the  steamer,  and  what  we  do  must  be  done  at 
once.  The  Bellevite,  as  they  call  her  now,  has 
not  yet  been  handed  over  to  the  government, 
though  she  has  been  accepted.  They  are  waiting 
for  something,  though  I don’t  know  what,  and  she 
may  be  sent  to  the  navy  yard  to-morrow ; and  then 
it  will  be  too  late  for  us  to  do  anything.” 

“ But  to-night  — that  is  rather  hurried,”  added 
Mulgate,  musing. 

Very  likely  he  was  thinking  of  the  beautiful 
Miss  Florry  in  the  elegant  mansion  a short  distance 
up  the  river.  Without  a doubt  he  was  Major 
Pierson,  since  the  naval  officer  had  addressed  him 
by  this  name  and  title.  He  had  often  met  the 
young  lady  at  Glenfield  Plantation,  and  possibly 
his  sudden  visit  to  the  North  had  not  been  without 
some  thought  of  her.  However  it  may  have  been 
with  her,  he  was  at  least  very  much  interested  in 
Miss  Florry. 

The  fact  that  she  was  a “ Yankee  ” did  not  make 
her  less  beautiful,  and  it  did_  not  make  her  any  the 
less  the  daughter  of  a millionnaire.  No  one  could 
say  that  he  was  mercenary,  however,  and  no  one 


50 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


could  say  why  he  was  not  as  deeply  interested  in 
the  daughter  of  the  planter,  for  she  was  hardly  less 
beautiful,  though  her  father  was  not  considered  a 
millionnaire,  to  say  nothing  of  a ten-millionnaire. 
Major  Pierson  did  not  tell  what  he  was  thinking 
about ; but  he  was  certainly  astounded  and  badly 
set  back  when  the  naval  officer  intimated  that 
the  capture  of  the  Bellevite  might  be  undertaken 
that  night. 

“ You  can  see  for  yourself  that  we  must  strike 
at  once,  or  there  may  be  nothing  to  strike  at,'’ 
replied  Captain  Carboneer. 

u But  we  shall  have  no  time  to  work  up  the 
case,”  suggested  the  major. 

“ The  case  is  all  worked  up,  and  there  is  nothing 
more  to  work  up,”  replied  the  captain,  as  he 
headed  the  boat  for  the  steamer. 

Major  Pierson  said  no  more,  but  he  was  as  much 
dissatisfied  with  the  promptness  of  the  naval  offi- 
cer as  though  he  had  said  it  in  so  many  words.  It 
would  be  difficult  to  imagine  how  he  expected  to 
manage  his  case  with  Miss  Florry,  since  he  could 
not  enter  the  house  without  betraying  his  iden- 
tity. Perhaps  he  intended  to  lie  in  wait  for  her 
in  the  grounds  of  the  estate,  and  trust  that  her 


CORNY  PASSFORD  PLAYS  ANOTHER  PART  51 


interest  in  him  would  induce  her  to  keep  his 
secret. 

“ Is  that  you,  Christy  ? ” called  a voice  from 
the  steamer,  as  the  Florence  approached  the  Belle- 
vite. 

“ Answer  him,  Corny,”  said  Captain  Carboneer, 
in  a low  voice.  “ Say  6 yes,’  and  ask  who  it  is 
that  speaks.” 

“ Yes,”  repeated  Corny.  “ Who  are  you  ? ” 

“ Sampson,”  replied  the  man  on  board  of  the 
steamer. 

“ And  who  is  with  him,”  added  the  captain. 

“ Are  you  alone  on  board?  ” demanded  Corny, 
varying  his  speech  a little  from  his  instructions. 

“No  ; Warping  is  on  board,  but  he  has  gone  to 
sleep  in  the  pilot-house.  Do  you  want  him  ? ” 

“No  ; but  you  wish  to  take  a couple  of  friends 
on  board  to  obtain  the  measure  of  a gun-carriage,” 
continued  Captain  Carboneer. 

“No  ; I don’t  want  Warping;  I only  wanted  to 
know  if  he  was  on  board,”  repeated  Corny.  “ I 
have  a couple  of  friends  here  who  want  to  measure 
a gun-carriage  to-night,  for  they  have  to  leave  in 
the  morning.” 

“Very  well,  young  man;  you  understand  your- 


52 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


self  very  well,”  said  the  captain,  in  tones  of  ap- 
proval. 

By  this  time  Captain  Carboneer  had  brought 
the  boat  alongside  the  accommodation  steps,  the 
lower  part  of  which  was  hoisted  up  to  prevent 
any  water  tramps  from  coming  on  board  without 
permission.  But  when  Corny  had  delivered  the 
last  message,  the  steps  were  lowered,  and  the 
Florence  made  fast  to  them.  Corny  was  told  to 
lead  the  way,  and  act  as  though  he  were  Christy 
Passford,  and  owned  the  ship  in  his  own  right. 

The  planter’s  son  went  up  the  steps,  and  the 
other  two  followed  him,  though  the  naval  officer 
had  really  ascertained  all  he  wished  to  know. 
There  were  only  two  ship-keepers  on  board,  and 
they  would  be  no  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  si  lip’s 
company  to  which  the  captain  had  alluded.  But 
the  leader  of  the  enterprise  had  another  object  in 
view,  though  it  was  only  secondary  in  its  nature. 
He  was  afraid  to  overburden  the  mind  of  Corny, 
and  he  said  nothing  more. 

“ Is  everything  all  right  on  board,  Sampson  ? ” 
asked  Corny,  as  he  stepped  down  upon  the  deck 
of  the  vessel. 

“ All  right,  Christy,”  replied  the  man. 


CORNY  PASSWORD  PLAYS  ANOTHER  PART  53 


“I  am  glad  to  hear  it.  Is  there  anything 
new?” 

“ Nothing  at  all,  Christy.  I have  been  over- 
hauling the  boilers  a little  to-day  for  the  want  of 
something  to  do,  and  they  are  in  first-rate  con- 
dition. As  you  told  me  to-day  that  we  might 
expect  the  order  to  report  at  the  navy  yard  at 
any  minute,  I thought  I would  have  everything 
as  nearly  ready  as  it  could  be.” 

“ You  have  done  very  well,  Sampson,”  added 
Corny,  approvingly.  “We  aie  to  get  underway 
early  in  the  morning,  and  if  father  gets  home  he 
will  start  the  steamer  as  soon  as  he  comes.  He 
went  to  the  city  this  evening,  and  probably  he 
will  bring  the  order  with  him,”  continued  Corny, 
making  use  of  the  information  he  had  obtained  in 
the  house. 

“ Where  is  this  long  gun,  my  man  ? ” asked 
Captain  Carboneer,  taking  a measure  from  his 
pocket.  * 

“Forward,  sir,”  replied  Sampson,  as  he  led  the 
way. 

The  captain  kept  some  distance  behind  the  ship- 
keeper,  and  took  Corny  by  the  arm  to  detain  him. 

“ Tell  him  to  get  up  steam  at  once,”  whispered 


54 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY  S LINES 


the  leader  of  the  party,  as  he  hastened  forward  to 
the  long  midship  gun,  where  he  proceeded  to  take 
his  measurements  as  though  he  were  in  real 
earnest,  though  it  was  so  dark  that  he  could  not 
possibly  see  the  marks  on  his  tape,  even  if  he  tried 
to  do  so. 

“ You  say  that  everything  is  ready  to  start  the 
tires,  Sampson  ? ” said  Corny,  as  soon  as  he  had  a 
chance  to  speak  to  the  ship-keeper. 

“ Everything  is  ready,  Christy,  and  I have  only 
to  touch  the  nlatch  to  the  shavings  to  make  a 
beginning,”  replied  Sampson.  “ Is  there  any 
news  about  my  appointment  in  the  engine-room, 
Christy  ? ” 

“ Not  yet,  Sampson  ; but  the  papers  will  soon 
come,  and  I am  almost  willing  to  guarantee  your 
appointment.” 

“Mr.  Vapoor  has  already  spoken  a good  word 
for  me.” 

u ^11  right,  Sampson  ; then  you  are  sure  of  the 
position.  I am  very  sure  that  we  shall  get  the 
order  before  morning  to  move  the  steamer  over  to 
the  nayy  yard,  and  I think  you  had  better  start 
the  fires  at  once,  Sampson,”  continued  Corny, 
making  himself  as  much  at  home  on  board  of  the 


CORNY  PASSFORD  PLAYS  ANOTHER  PART  55 


steamer  as  though  he  had  really  been  the  person 
he  was  supposed  to  be. 

“ All  right,  Christy ; and  if  the  order  don't 
come  as  soon  as  you  expect  it,  we  can  bank  the 
fires,  and  no  harm  will  be  done,”  replied  the  oiler, 
for  such  was  his  position  on  board,  though  he  was 
evidently  expecting  something  better. 

By  this  time  Captain  Carboneer  had  finished 
taking  the  measure  of  the  gun-carriage,  though  he 
had  not  been  able  to  see  anything.  But  he  had 
been  through  all  the  forms,  and  that  answered  his 
purpose  just  as  well.  He  declared  that  he  had  no 
further  business  on  board,  and  the  trio  went  to  the 
accommodation  ladder.  Sampson  had  called  his 
sleeping  companion,  and  already  the  black  smoke 
began  to  pour  out  of  the  smokestack. 

“That  was  all  very  handsomely  done,”  said 
Major  Pierson,  as  they  stepped  on  board  of  the 
Florence. 

“ Everything  worked  very  well ; but  it  was  all 
owing  to  the  fact  that  the  ship-keeper  thought 
that  Corny  was  some  other  person,”  replied  the 
captain. 

“ I know  that  he  took  him  for  Christy  Passford, 
and  I have  had  some  experience  with  Christy,” 


56 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY'S  LINES 


replied  the  major,  recalling  his  attempts  to  prevent 
the  Bellevite  from  escaping  from  Mobile  Bay. 
“He  is  a smart  fellow,  as  the  Yankees  would  say, 
and  it  is  fortunate  that  he  is  not  here  at  the  pres- 
ent time.” 

“He  can’t  be  very  far  off,”  suggested  Corny. 
“He  was  expected  back  to  supper,  and  I wanted 
to  see  him,  for  he  is  my  cousin.  He  must  be 
about  here  somewhere.” 

“Never  mind  whether  he  is  or  not;  we  have 
finished  our  business  here,  and  the  harvest  is  ripe 
for  the  sickle.  We  will  leave  this  boat  just  where 
we  found  it,  for  I have  a rowboat  a little  farther 
down  the  river,”  continued  Captain  Carboneer. 

“I  suppose  I ought  to  return  to  my  uncle’s 
house,”  suggested  Corny.  “ If  they  miss  me  they 
will  be  looking  about  here  to  ascertain  what  has 
become  of  me.” 

“ I think  you  had  better  not  try  to  relieve  their 
anxiety  to-night.  If  they  are  worried  about  you, 
they  will  get  over  it  in  the  morning  when  they 
Iliad  the  steamer  is  missing,”  said  Captain  Car- 
boneer, with  something  like  a chuckle  in  his  tones 
when  he  pictured  the  surprise  of  the  “ Yankees  ” 
in  making  the  discovery  that  the  Bellevite  had 


CORNY  PASSFORD  PLAYS  ANOTHER  PART  57 


taken  to  herself  wings,  and  sped  on  her  way  to  the 
South. 

“I  don’t  think  they  will  worry  about  me,” 
added  Corny,  laughing.  44  I was  afraid  they 
might  think  I was  here  to  capture  the  city  of  New 
York,  or  something  of  that  sort.” 

44  I think  you  had  better  not  undeceive  them  to- 
night,” replied  the  captain,  as  he  ran  the  yacht 
upon  the  beach  near  where  he  had  found  her. 

44  Everything  looks  exceedingly  well  for  our 
enterprise.” 

“ If  you  get  that  steamer  into  Mobile  Bay  ” — 

“I  don’t  intend  to  get  her*  into  the  bay;  that 
would  be  folly,  and  I shall  run  no  risks  among  the 
blockaders,  for  a single  shot  might  give  her  back 
to  her  present  owners.” 

44  No  matter ; if  you  only  get  her,  and  she  is 
under  the  flag  of  the  Confederacy,  it  will  put  me 
back  where  I was  when  she  went  into  the  bay  by 
a Yankee  trick,”  added  Major  Pierson. 

44  After  the  war,  if  you  wish  to  see  the  young 
lady,  you  will  have  more  time  to  attend  to  the 
affair,  and  I shall  wish  you  every  success  then,” 
said  the  captain  lightly. 

44  How  long  do  you  think  the  war  will  last, 


58  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 

Captain  Carboneer?”  asked  the  major,  in  this 
connection. 

u Possibly  it  may  last  a year,  though  if  we  can 
break  up  that  blockade,  it  will  not  last  six  months 
longer.” 

The  trio  landed  on  the  beach,  and  the  naval 
officer  made  sure  that  the  Florence  was  securely 
fixed  in  the  gravel.  The  party  walked  down 
stream,  embarked  in  the  boat  of  which  the  captain 
had  spoken.  It  was  pulled  by  two  men,  and  after 
they  had  gone  about  a mile,  the  captain  began  to 
blow  a boatswain’s  whistle  which  he  took  from  his 
pocket. 


CAPTAIN  CARBONEER  AND  HIS  PARTY  59 


CHAPTER  V 

CAPTAIN  CARBONEER  AND  HIS  PARTY 

As  Captain  Carboneer  blew  his  whistle,  a mile 
below  the  moorings  of  the  Bellevite,  an  occa- 
sional response  came  from  the  shore.  Everything 
was  remarkably  quiet  on  the  river,  though  at  long 
intervals  a steamer  passed  on  its  way  up  or  down 
the  stream.  The  signals  made  by  the  naval 
officer  were  not  loud,  and  the  replies,  made  with- 
out the  aid  of  any  instrument,  were  quite  feeble. 
One  might  have  taken  them  for  some  frolic  on  the 
part  of  the  boys. 

“ I don’t  quite  understand  this  business,”  said 
Major  Pierson,  after  he  had  listened  a while  to  the 
signals.  “ I suppose  from  the  answers  you  get, 
that  your  men  are  all  along  the  river,  and  the 
woods  seem  to  be  full  of  them.” 

“ I have  no  doubt  they  are  all  here,”  replied 
Captain  Carboneer.  “ I have  been  in  this  vicinity 
all  day,  and  I have  made  good  use  of  my  time.  I 


60 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


believe  the  Bellevite  belongs  to  the  Confederacy, 
and  it  shall  be  no  fault  of  mine  if  the  goods  are 
not  delivered  in  good  order  and  condition.” 

u My  father  was  confident  that  he  should  obtain 
her  at  Nassau,  though  he  was  mistaken,”  added 
the  major. 

“ But  when  she  went  within  our  lines,  we  were 
all  satisfied  that  she  was  ours.  I have  not  yet 
been  able  to  understand  why  she  was  permitted  to 
escape.” 

“ If  you  mean  by  that  to  cast  any  blame  upon 
those  who  did  their  best  to  prevent  her  escape, 
Captain  Carboneer,  you  wrong  them  grossly,”  said 
Major  Pierson.  “ She  came  on  a friendly  visit  to 
the  plantation  of  Colonel  Passford ; but  this  gen- 
tleman, though  the  owner  of  the  steamer  was  his 
own  brother,  promptly  gave  information  of  her 
presence  in  the  creek,  and  did  all  he  could  to  have 
her  captured.  No  man  could  have  sacrificed  more 
to  his  patriotism  than  he  did.” 

u I do  not  reflect  on  him  or  on  any  one  ; 1 only 
wonder  how  the  Bellevite  contrived  to  escape  when 
several  steamers  were  sent  out  to  capture  her,” 
added  the  captain. 

u The  son  of  the  owner  of  the  Bellevite  was  a 


CAPTAIN  CARBONEER  AND  HIS  PARTY  61 


prisoner  of  mine,  for  when  I had  my  brother 
arrested  for  desertion,  this  young  man  was  with 
him.  The  only  mistake  I made  was  in  not  putting 
him  in  irons.  The  captain  of  my  tug  proved  to  be 
a traitor  to  the  Confederacy,  and  this  fellow,  with 
Christy  Passford,  did  the  most  of  the  mischief  in 
preventing  the  capture  of  the  steamer.” 

“ I was  told  that  he  was  a smart  boy,”  added  the 
naval  officer. 

u He  is  all  of  that ; and  I think  it  was  very 
fortunate  that  he  did  not  happen  to  be  at  home 
when  we  visited  the  Bellevite  just  now,”  said 
Major  Pierson,  who  evidently  had  a proper  respect 
for  the  abilities  of  the  millionnaire’s  son. 

“ I do  not  see  that  his  presence  in  his  father’s 
mansion,  if  he  had  been  there,  could  have  made 
any  difference,”  added  the  captain,  as  he  sounded 
his  whistle  again,  and  heard  a faint  response  from 
the  shore.  “As  long  as  he  was  not  actually  on 
board  of  the  steamer,  he  was  harmless.” 

“ Perhaps  he  was,  though  I have  the  feeling  that 
it  would  have  been  otherwise.  There  was  a whis- 
tle from  the  shore.” 

“ I heard  it,  and  I understand  it.  Haslett  has 
done  his  whole  duty,  I judge,”  replied  Captain 
Carboneer. 


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WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


u Who  is  Haslett  ? ” asked  the  major  curiously. 
u I never  heard  of  him  before.’’ 

u He  is  to  be  the  first  lieutenant  of  the  Belle- 
vite.” 

u You  seem  to  have  a full  supply  of  officers  and 
men,  Captain  Carboneer,”  added  Major  Pierson, 
apparently  a little  disconcerted.  u I do  not  see 
that  I am  of  the  least  use  here,  for  you  seem  to 
have  done  everything  without  consulting  me.” 

“ In  naval  matters  I have ; but  I give  you  full 
credit  for  the  planning  of  the  enterprise,”  replied 
the  captain,  in  his  softest  tones. 

“ When  I was  removed  from  my  command 
because  I allowed  the  steamer  to  pass  the  forts,  I 
felt  that  a great  injustice  had  been  done  to  me.  I 
did  all  I could  to  effect  the  capture  of  the  vessel, 
but  the  attempt  was  a failure,”  argued  the  major. 
“ The  shot  hole  through  the  bow  of  the  Belle 
utterly  wrecked  her,  and  the  force  on  board  of  her 
could  do  nothing,  and  Christy  Passford  had  brought 
my  own  tug  to  bear  against  me.  Why,  the  Belle- 
vite  actually  saved  the  force  on  board  of  the  Belle 
from  drowning.  A violent  gale  came  up,  and  that 
did  a great  deal  to  nullify  all  our  efforts.  But  I 
think  I did  my  whole  duty.” 


CAPTAIN  CARBONEER  AND  HIS  PARTY  63 


“ I have  no  doubt  of  it,  Major  Pierson  ; and  for 
that  reason  you  were  sent  on  this  mission ; and  I 
am  confident  that  the  success  of  the  enterprise  will 
restore  you  to  your  former  command,  or  give  you 
another  quite  as  good,”  said  Captain  Carboneer, 
as  consolation  to  the  military  arm  of  the  expedi- 
tion. 

“ But  I cannot  see  that  I have  been  of  any  use 
to  this  enterprise,  and  I might  as  well  have  staid 
at  home.” 

“ You  are  too  modest  by  half,  major.  You 
planned  the  expedition,  and  suggested  that  Corny 
should  take  part  in  it,  as  he  would  have  the  entrSe 
to  the  residence  of  Captain  Passford.  But,  being 
a mere  boy,  he  could  not  be  sent  alone,  and  your 
services  were  likely  to  be  of  the  most  important 
character.  It  is  no  fault  of  yours  that  we  found 
everything  made  ready  for  us,  as  it  were.  It 
might  have  been  quite  different,  and  the  burden  of 
the  action  might  have  rested  upon  you.  It  is  all 
right  as  it  is.” 

“ I am  satisfied,”  added  the  major,  u though  I 
think  it  was  no  more  than  right  that  you  should 
have  consulted  me  in  regard  to  your  methods,  of 
which  I am  still  profoundly  ignorant.  In  getting 


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WITHIN  THE  ENEMY'S  LINES 


up  the  scheme,  I based  everything  on  the  fact  that 
Corny  could  go  into  his  uncle’s  house  and  obtain 
all  the  information  we  needed.” 

The  scheme  was  well  concocted ; and  I shall 
have  the  pleasure  of  reporting  to  the  government 
that  the  military  arm  of  the  expedition  conducted 
the  enterprise  to  a perfect  success,  the  naval  force 
only  doing  the  duty  pointed  out  by  the  military.” 
u You  are  very  kind,  Captain  Carboneer,”  said 
Major  Pierson,  who  could  not  well  help  being 
entirely  satisfied,  and  even  greatly  pleased,  with 
this  happy  showing  of  the  final  result. 

“ By  daylight  in  the  morning  we  shall  be  out- 
side of  Sandy  Hook,  I expect.  We  have  no  time 
to  waste,  and  you  can  see  for  yourself  how  the 
affair  of  the  young  lady  would  have  complicated 
our  operations.” 

“ How  do  you  intend  to  convey  these  men,  who 
seem  to  be  scattered  all  along  the  shores  of  the 
river,  to  the  steamer?  ” 

u They  understand  my  signals,  and  they  will  all 
be  ready  within  an  hour  to  take  a small  steamer 
which  will  pick  them  up.” 

“ But  where  is  the  steamer?  ” 

“ She  is  farther  down  the  river.  As  you  seem 


CAPTAIN  CARBONEER  AND  HIS  PARTY  65 


to  be  a little  sensitive  to  the  fact  that  I have  not 
consulted  you  in  regard  to  the  naval  operations  of 
this  enterprise,  I can  tell  you  in  a few  words  all 
there  is  of  them,”  continued  Captain  Carboneer. 
u As  you  are  aware,  as  soon  as  our  plan  was 
matured  by  you,  I left  Mobile  with  Lieutenant 
Haslett,  though  you  knew  nothing  about  him,  for 
Nassau.  We  had  no  difficulty  in  getting  out  of 
the  bay,  for  the  blockade  was  not  then  enforced. 
At  Nassau  I engaged  a couple  of  English  engi- 
neers, and  a few  other  officers,  with  thirty  seamen, 
mostly  English,  who  were  looking  for  prize-money. 
I had  to  take  my  force  to  Quebec,  for  no  steamer 
offered  for  New  York.  I sent  them  all  here  in 
snjall  parties,  and  Haslett  posted  them  along  the 
river  when  I told  him  they  would  be  needed  to- 
night.” 

“ I did  not  leave  Mobile  till  two  weeks  later 
with  Corny,”  added  the  major.  “ But  I got  here 
sooner  than  you  did.” 

u You  were  more  fortunate  in  finding  a steamer. 
I believe  I have  a capital  crew,  though  I shall 
obtain  more  men  at  Bermuda,  or  some  other  port. 
There  are  plenty  of  good  English  sailors  who  are 
willing  to  fight  on  either  side  if  there  is  a good 


66 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY  S LINES 


showing  for  prize-money  ; and  I have  no  doubt  I 
shall  capture  a dozen  vessels  before  we  reach  the 
Bermudas,  which  will  fully  satisfy  them,  espe- 
cially as  the  government  will  pay  the  value  of  all 
vessels  we  are  compelled  to  burn  on  the,  high  seas/' 

“ You  will  have  the  advantage  over  everything 
that  floats,  for  I was  told  that  the  Bellevite  made 
twenty  knots  an  hour,  and  had  done  twenty- two,” 
said  Major  Pierson.  “ At  what  time  do  you  think 
you  will  get  on  board  of  the  steamer  ? ” 

u By  one  or  two  in  the  morning,  I hope ; but  it 
will  depend  upon  the  steamer  Haslett  engages, 
though  he  told  me  he  had  bargained  for  an  old  one 
with  a walking-beam;  but  that  will  answer  our 
purpose.  I believe  he  had  to  buy  her,  though  she 
was  of  no  great  value.” 

At  a creek  which  appeared  to  be  the  rendezvous 
of  the  conspirators,  the  boat  left  the  river;  but 
there  was  no  steamer,  though  quite  a number  of 
men  had  gathered  there.  Leaving  the  party  in  the 
boat  to  follow  out  the  remaining  details  of  their 
enterprise,  which,  by  this  time,  in  the  absence  of 
anything  like  an  obstacle,  they  regarded  as  so 
many  mere  .formalities,  it  becomes  necessary  to 
make  another  visit  to  the  mansion  of  Captain 


CAPTAIN  CARBONEER  AND  HIS  PARTY  67 


Passford.  This  gentleman  had  gone  to  the  city 
upon  important  business  connected  with  the  fitting 
out  of  the  Bellevite,  and  he  had  not  returned  when 
the  clock  in  the  great  hall  struck  ten,  which  was 
at  about  the  time  Captain  Carboneer  and  his  com- 
panions went  into  the  creek  five  miles  down  the 
river. 

“ There  is  no  knowing  when  your  father  will 
come  home,  Florry,”  said  Mrs.  Passford,  as  she 
suspended  her  work  on  a stocking  she  was  knit- 
ting for  the  soldiers.  “ But  I can’t  imagine  what 
has  become  of  Christy.  He  never  stays  out  as 
late  as  this  unless  he  tells  us  of  it  beforehand.” 

“ I am  really  worried  about  him,  mother,” 
replied  the  beautiful  daughter,  looking  up  from 
the  stocking  on  which  she  was  employed.  “He 
went  away  in  the  Florence,  and  something  may 
have  happened  to  him.” 

“ I think  not,  Florry  ; there  has  been  no  storm, 
or  heavy  blow,  and  he  thinks  he  is  as  safe  in  his 
boat  as  he  is  on  shore,”  added  Mrs.  Passford, 
with  an  effort  to  control  the  fears  of  the  daughter. 
“ He  may  have  gone  down  to  the  city.  He  is 
very  indignant  at  the  delay  in  giving  The  order  to 
have  the  steamer  sent  to  the  navy  yard,  and 


68 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


wherever  he  is,  I am  confident  he  is  doing  some- 
thing in  connection  with  the  steamer.” 

“ I wish  I knew  whether  the ' Florence  was  at 
the  boathouse,”  continued  Florry.  “ He  said  he 
was  going  out  in  the  boat ; but  perhaps  he  did 
not.  Perhaps  he  is  with  father.” 

“ There  is  the  front-door  bell,”  added  Mrs.  Pass- 
ford,  with  a start.  “ It  cannot  be  your  father  or 
Christy,  for  both  of  them  have  latch-keys.  Who 
could  come  here  at  this  time  in  the  evening  ? ” 
“Mr.  Paul  Yapoor,”  said  the  man-servant,  who 
answered  the  bell. 

The  gentleman  announced  walked  into  the  sit- 
ting-room without  any  ceremony,  for  he  had  long 
been  a familiar  visitor.  He  was  dressed  in  the 
full  uniform  of  a chief  engineer  of  the  navy.  Re- 
moving his  cap,  he  politely  bowed  to  the  two 
ladies ; and  any  one  who  was  looking  might  have 
seen  that  Miss  Florry  blushed  a little  when  she 
saw  him  ; and  very  likely  if  Major  Pierson  had 
witnessed  the  roses  on  her  fair  cheek,  he  might 
possibly  have  concluded  that  it  would  have  been 
useless  to  postpone  the  capture  of  the  Bellevite  to 
enable  him  to  fortify  his  position  near  her. 

“ I beg  your  pardon,  ladies,  for  calling  so  late,” 


CAPTAIN  CARBONEER  AND  HIS  PARTY  69 


said  Mr.  Vapoor,  as  he  drew  a long  envelope  from 
* his  pocket.  “ But  I thought  Christy  might  wish 
to  see  what  is  in  this  envelope  before  he  retired.” 
u Why,  what  is  in  it  ? ” asked  Mrs.  Passford. 

“ Christy’s  commission  as  a midshipman  in  the 
navy.” 

“ But  Christy  is  not  at  home,  and  we  are  some- 
what anxious  about  him,”  added  the  mother,  stat- 
ing the  facts  in  regard  to  her  son. 

Paul  Vapoor  volunteered  to  go  in  search  of 
him,  and  left  the  house. 


70 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY'S  LINES 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  CABIN  OF  THE  FLORENCE 

If  Captain  Carboneer  had  felt  any  especial  in- 
terest in  the  Florence  as  a sailing. yacht,  he  might 
have  desired  to  see  the  cabin  of  the  craft,  which 
had  always  been  the  delight  of  Christy  Passford. 
He  had  expended  a great  deal  of  his  pocket-money 
upon  the  arrangement  and  furnishing  of  the  cabin 
of  his  yacht,  not  only  because  he  spent  a consid- 
erable portion  of  his  vacation  hours  in  it,  but 
because  it  had  been  a perpetual  study  with  him  to 
enlarge  and  improve  it. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  get  three  pints  of  liquid 
into  a quart  measure,  and  it  was  a conundrum  of 
this  sort  that  Christy  was  studying  upon  when  lie 
tried  to  make  a parlor,  bedroom,  and  dining-saloon 
of  the  very  limited  space  in  the  forward  part  of 
the  Florence.  Though  he  could  hardly  get  the 
three  pints  into  the  quart  measure,  he  had  done 
the  best  he  could,  and  succeeded  to  a rather  re- 


THE  CABIN  OF  THE  FLORENCE 


71 


markable  degree.  But  spite  of  the  miracle  which 
had  been  wrought  in  the  cabin,  Captain  Carboneer 
did  not  even  try  the  door  of  the  apartment  when 
lie  and  his  companions  went  on  board  of  the  yacht. 
He  was  so  absorbed  in  the  enterprise  in  which  he 
was  engaged,  that  his  indifference  to  the  miracle 
of  the  cabin  may  be  excused. 

Even  the  double  doors  of  the  cabin  were  of 

handsome  wood,  elaborately  polished ; and  they 

♦ # 

were  not  secured  with  the  usual  appliance  of  a 
padlock,  but  were  provided  with  an  expensive 
mortise-lock,  which  could  be  operated  upon  either 
side.  If  Captain  Carboneer  had  tried  to  open  that 
door,  he  would  have  found  that  it  was  fastened ; 
but  perhaps  he  could  not  have  discovered  that  it 
had  been  secured  upon  the  inside.  Unless,  there- 
fore, he  had  taken  the  trouble  to  break  open  the 
door,  he  could  not  have  ascertained  that  Christy 
Passford  was  actually  in  the  cabin. 

Possibly,  if  he  had  opened  the  door  by  any 
means,  he  would  not  have  discovered  that  the 
proprietor  of  the  boat  was  in  this  dainty  apart- 
ment, for  the  skipper  had  taken  a great  deal  of 
pains  to  conceal  himself  so  that  he  should  not  be 
seen,  jeven  if  the  intruders  in  the  Florence  had 


72 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


succeeded  in  opening  the  doors  without  the  aid  of 
the  key  in  his  pocket.  Though  he  had  two  very 
nice  berths  in  the  cabin,  miraculously  arranged  as 
to  space,  Christy  did  not  occupy  one  on  the  pres- 
ent occasion,  for  in  that  case  the  unbidden  visitors 
would  have  seen  him  if  their  curiosity  had  led 
them  to  force  the  doors. 

When  the  cook  of  the  Florence,  usually  the 
skipper  of  the  craft,  was  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
the  culinary  art,  he  seated  himself  on  what  looked 
like  a box  in  front  of  the  stove.  But  the  interior 
of  this  box  was  really  a part  of  the  cabin,  for  it 
contained  the  feet  of  any  one  occupying  the  berth 
on  the  starboard  side.  The  cookroom  had  no  end 
of  bins,  lockers  and  drawers  to  contain  the  variety 
of  provisions  and  stores  necessary  to  get  up  a din- 
ner for  the  skipper  and  his  guests,  when  he  had 
any.  And  even  all  these  places  could  not  contain 
everything  that  was  needed  on  board.  Under  the 
two  berths  were  large,  though  not  very  deep, 
lockers,  one  of  which  contained  the  jib-topsail  of 
the  craft,  and  other  spare  sails,  while  the  opposite 
one  was  the  fuel  locker  of  the  sloop. 

As  the  boat  had  not  been  used  for  a long  time 
in  cruising,  the  fuel  receptacle  was  empty,  though 


THE  CABIN  OF  THE  FLORENCE" 


73 


a spare  gaff-topsail  had  been  thrown  into  it.  This 
locker  was  big  enough  to  admit  the  body-corporate 
of  the  skipper.  It  was  not  a particularly  clean 
place,  for  a portion  of  it  had  been  economized  for 
the  stowage  of  the  charcoal,  which  the  skipper  pre- 
ferred to  wood.  But  he  did  not  rebel  at  the 
blackness  of  the  retreat  he  had  chosen,  for  he  wore 
his  boating  dress,  which  was  hardly  stylish  enough 
for  a dude  or  a dandy. 

But  Skipper  Passford  did  not  crawl  into  this 
black  hole  for  the  fun  of  the  thing.  He  had  been 
spending  his  time  in  waiting  for  a movement  to  be 
made  in  regard  to  the  Bellevite.  He  staid  in  the 
house  all  the  forenoon,  and,  after  lunch,  he  sailed 
down  the  river  in  the  Florence,  though  with  no 
object  in  doing  so  beyond  passing  the  time.  Not 
far  from  the  beach  where  he  had  afterwards  left 
the  yacht,  he  discovered  a boat  rowed  by  two  men 
with  a third  in  the  stern  sheets. 

The  breeze  was  quite  gentle,  though  the  Flor-  , 
erice  would  sail  at  a very  tolerable  speed  when 
there  was  the  least  apology  for  a wind.  She  was 
doing  so  on  the  present  occasion,  and  Christy  had 
stretched  himself  out  on  the  cushioned  seat,  with 
the  spokes  of  the  wheel  where  he  could  steer  with- 


74 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


out  any  exertion,  or  next  to  none.  The  idleness 
of  his  days  since  his  return  from  the  eventful 
cruise  of  the  Bellevite  seemed  to  have  infected 
him  with  an  unnatural  indolence. 

He  felt  as  though  he  was  rather  more  than  half 
asleep  when  he  saw  the  boat  with  the  two  oars- 
men. It  was  going  up  the  river,  while  he  was 
going  down.  He  had  to  luff  a little  to  keep  cleai 
of  the  oars,  but  he  did  not  move  from  his  half-re- 
cumbent posture.  When  the  boat  was  alongside, 
he  glanced  idly  and  carelessly  at  the  person  in 
the  stern  sheets.  Instantly  he  was  wide  awake, 
though  he  did  not  change  his  position.  The  per- 
son looked  like  a gentleman,  and  Christy  was  sure 
that  he  had  seen  him  before.  A couple  of  minutes 
of  earnest  cudgelling  of  his  brain  assured  him  that 
he  had  seen  the  stranger  in  Nassau  ; that  he  was 
one  of  the  many  who  wanted  to  purchase  the 
Bellevite,  ostensibly  for  a merchant  vessel,  but 
really  for  the  Confederate  navy. 

After  he  had  run  a short  distance  farther  down 
the  river,  Christy  came  about,  the  boat  bein£  some 
distance  from  him,  but  the  gentleman  soon  landed 
and  walked  up  the  river  on  the  shore,  or  very  near 
it.  In  a short  time,  he  was  joined  by  another 


THE  CABIN  OF  THE  FLORENCE 


75 


person,  whose  form  looked  familiar  to  the  skipper 
of  the  Florence.  He  could  not  identify  him,  for 
he  was  not  near  enough  to  him  to  see  his  face.  A 
puff  of  air  came  from  across  the  river,  and  the 
Florence  darted  ahead,  and  Christy  was  soon  out 
of  sight  of  the  two  strangers. 

Near  the  boundary  of  his  father’s  estate,  he  ran 
the  yacht  on  the  sandy  beach,  letting  her  strike 
the  sand  hard  enough  to  stick  where  she  was  for 
half  an  hour,  though  she  was  not  likely  to  get 
adrift,  for  the  gentle  breeze  was  blowing  her 
farther  on  the  shore  as  the  tide  rose. 

Christy  hauled  down  the  jib  of  the  sloop,  and 
then  seated  himself,  or  rather  reclined  upon  the 
cushions,  though  in  such  a position  that  he  could 
see  the  shore,  or  any  persons  who  came  upon  it. 
No  one  was  in  sight,  and  he  had  no  one  to  watch. 
The  swash  of  a great  steamer  passing  in  the  chan- 
nel made  his  boat  roll  heavily  for  a moment,  with 
the  forward  part  of  the  bottom  resting  on  the  sand. 
For  the  want  of  something  better  to  think  of,  he 
began  to  put  conundrums  to  himself  in  the  absence 
of  any  other  person  to  perplex  with  them.  What 
was  the  gentleman  that  wanted  to  buy  a steamer 
in  Nassau  doing  up  the  Hudson  ? This  was  the 


76 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


principal  one  : he  could  not  answer  it.  He  gave  it 
up  ; as  the  French  have  it,  he  had  to  “ throw  his 
tongue  to  the  dogs,”  having  no  use  for  it  in  this 
connection. 

But  while  he  was  dreaming  of  the  possible  mis- 
sion of  the  stranger,  he  heard  voices  on  the  beach. 
Not  deeming  it  wise  to  show  himself,  he  rolled  off 
the  cushion  upon  the  floor  of  the  standing-room, 
and  then  fixed  himself  in  a position  where  he  could 
see  and  hear  what  passed  between  the  speakers. 
He  could  see  without  being  seen.  It  did  not 
require  a second  look  for  him  to  decide  that  the 
second  person  on  the  beach  was  Major  Pierson, 
though  his  companion  called  him  Mulgate. 

If  Christy  had  been  interested  before,  he  was 
excited  now.  The  two  speakers  were  within  ear- 
shot of  the  boat,  and  in  the  stillness  of  the  scene 
he  could  hear  every  word  that  was  said.  In  a few 
moments  he  was  in  full  possession  of  the  state- 
ments of  the  captain  and  the  major  in  regard  to 
their  intentions  ; and  it  appeared  that  the  gentle- 
man he  had  seen  in  Nassau  still  desired  to  obtain  a 
steamer. 

Before  it  was  dark,  Christy  was  astonished  to 
behold  his  cousin  Corny  on  the  other  side  of  the 


THE  CABIN  OF  THE  FLORENCE 


77 


fence  ; and  he  readily  understood  that  he  was  to 
take  part  in  the  enterprise  in  hand.  As  yet  the 
listener  had  obtained  but  little  more  than  the 
information  in  regard  to  the  intention  of  the  vis- 
itors. When  he  found  that  they  were  disposed  to 
take  possession  of  the  Florence,  and  make  their 
visit  to  the  Bellevite  in  her,  the  skipper  retired 
from  the  standing-room  of  the  boat  to  the  cabin, 
where  he  locked  the  door,  and  put  the  key  in  his 
pocket.  When  he  realized  that  they  really  meant 
to  come  on  board,  he  crawled  into  the  space  under 
the  starboard  berth,  and  arranged  the  sail  so  that 
it  would  conceal  him  in  case  the  intruders  pushed 
their  investigation  into  the  cabin. 

When  he  had  completed  his  preparations,  he  was 
quite  satisfied  that  he  should  not  be  discovered. 
The  trio  came  on  board,  and  Christy  fixed  himself 
so  that  he  could  hear  every  word  that  was  said,  for 
there  was  a small  opening  under  the  berth  through 
which  the  superfluous  length  of  a pair  of  oars  could 
be  thrust  when  not  in  use. 

Christy,  without  the  remotest  suspicion  on  the 
part  of  the  plotters  that  they  could  be  heard  by 
any  living  being,  and  especially  not  by  so  danger- 
ous a character  as  Christy  had  proved  himself 


78 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


to  be  to  the  peace  and  dignity  of  the  Confederacy, 
heard  all  that  was  said,  and  he  obtained  a full  idea 
of  the  intentions  of  the  conspirators.  When  they 
went  on  board  of  the  Bellevite,  he  was  so  excited 
that  he  could  no  longer  remain  in  his  prison,  but 
came  out,  and  crept  up  the  accommodation  ladder 
to  the  deck  of  the  steamer.  But  he  was  careful 
not  to  show  himself,  and,  having  a key  to  the 
cabin,  he  went  into  it,  locking  the  door  after  him. 
Then  he  had  a chance  to  think. 

What  should  he  do  ? He  had  no  force  at  hand 
to  beat  off  such  a party  as  Captain  Carboneer  men* 
tioned.  They  might  carry  out  their  plot  that  very 
night,  as  they  had  talked  of  doing.  Perhaps  it 
would  be  executed  at  once,  even  while  he  was  on 
board,  and  he  would  then  be  a prisoner.  This 
idea  was  too  galling  to  be  considered,  and  he  left 
the  cabin  to  visit  the  wardroom.  Going  still 
farther  forward,  he  was  surprised  to  hear  the  roar 
of  the  flames  in  the  furnaces  below.  It  looked  at 
that  moment  as  though  the  Bellevite  was  doomed 
to  sail  under  a Confederate  flag.  But  if  he  could 
do  nothing  more,  he  could  save  himself,  even  if 
he  had  to  jump  into  the  river  and  swim  to  the 
shore. 


THE  CABIN  OF  THE  FLORENCE 


79 


Christy  lost  no  time  in  making  his  way  to  the 
main  deck  of  the  vessel ; but  he  was  careful  to 
avoid  the  visitors.  He  went  back  to  the  cabin, 
and  went  on  deck  from  it.  Then  he  discovered 
that  the  trio  were  in  the  act  of  descending  the 
accommodation  steps.  Mounting  the  rail  he  saw 
them  embark  in  the  Florence,  and  sail  down  the 
river.  Dismounting  from  the  rail,  he  hastened  to 
the  engine-room,  where  he  found  Sampson  getting 
the  engine  ready  to  be  put  in  motion. 

“ Ah,  Christy,  I thought  you  had  gone/’  said  the 
oiler. 

“ Who  were  those  two  men  who  were  on  board  ? ” 
asked  Christy,  not  a little  excited. 

“ They  were  two  gentlemen  you  brought  on 
board,  Christy,”  replied  Sampson,  innocently 
enough. 

“ That  I brought  on  board ! ” exclaimed  the 
skipper  of  the  Florence. 

“ Yes,  sir;  and  I thought  you  had  gone  ashore 
with  them,”  added  the  oiler. 

“ I brought  no  men  on  board,  Sampson  ! What 
are  you  talking  about  ? ” demanded  Christy  im- 
patiently. 

u Didn’t  you  bring  two  gentlemen  on  board,  and 


80 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES. 


didn’t  one  of  them  want  to  measure  the  carriage  of 
the  big  gun  ? ” 

u No  ! I did  not ! I have  not  seen  you  before 
now  this  evening,”  protested  Christy. 

“ Then  I have  lost  my  senses.  Didn’t  you  tell 
me  to  get  up  steam,  because  the  steamer  would  be 
moved  to  the  navy  yard  before  daylight  in  the 
morning  ? ” demanded  Sampson,  bewildered  by  the 
denial  of  the  young  man. 

u I see  now,”  added  Christy.  44  You  mistook 
Corny  for  me.” 

Sampson  gave  him  all  the  details  of  the  visit  of 
the  strangers. 


MIDSHIPMAN  CHRISTY  PASSFORD 


81 


CHAPTER  VII 

MIDSHIPMAN  CHRISTY  PASSFORD 

“ In  a word,  Sampson,  an  attempt  will  be  made 
to-night  to  capture  the  Bellevite,  and  you  have 
been  getting  up  steam  for  the  conspirators,”  said 
Christy,  when  the  ship-keeper  had  finished  his 
narrative  of  the  visit  of  the  trio  to  the  ship. 

“ Is  that  so?”  exclaimed  Sampson,  opening  his 
mouth  and  his  eyes  very  wide  at  the  same  time. 
“ Why,  I had  no  more  doubt  that  the  young  man 
who  was  talking  to  me  was  Christy  than  I have 
that  he  is  talking  to  me  now.” 

“ You  had  better  look  at  me  again,  and  be  sure 
that  you  make  no  mistake,”  replied  Christy,  rather 
disgusted  at  the  failure  of  the  man  to  identify  him. 

“ I never  once  thought  that  it  was  not  you. 
When  the  sailboat  came  alongside,  I knew  it  was 
the  Florence,  and  I supposed  you  were  in  her,” 
pleaded  Sampson.  “ But  I spoke  to  you,  as  I 
supposed,  when  the  boat  came  alongside.” 


82  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ Did  you  ? What  did  you  say  ? ” asked  Christy. 

“ I said  4 Is  that  you,  Christy  ? ’ And  you  said  • 
4 Yes.’  ” 

44  Of  course  I did  ! What  else  could  I say  after 
you  had  told  the  enemy  just  how  to  proceed. 
You  could  not  have  expected  any  other  answer.” 

44 1 suppose  I was  very  stupid ; but  I hope  no 
harm  has  been  done,  for  they  have  not  got  the 
steamer  yet,”  added  Sampson,  very  much  discon- 
certed at  the  blunder  he  had  made,  though  an  older 
officer  than  Christy  might  have  had  more  charity 
for  the  ship-keeper. 

Seen  in  broad  daylight,  there  was  no  striking 
resemblance  between  Corny  and  Christy,  though 
they  were  of  about  the  same  size,  and  had  some 
traits  in  common.  As  Corny  and  his  companions 
came  in  the  Florence,  it  was  not  very  strange 
that  Sampson  should  take  it  for  granted  that 
Christy  was  one  of  the  evening  visitors.  The 
voices  of  the  two  cousins  were  not  unlike,  and  the 
sound  was  all  he  had  to  guide  his  judgment.  Then 
he  was  not  in  the  enemy’s  country,  and  he  could 
hardly  have  been  on  the  lookout  for  an  enemy 
several  miles  up  the  river. 

44  Certainly  no  harm  has  been  done,  Sampson ; 


MIDSHIPMAN  CHRISTY  PASSFORD 


83 


but  it  is  yet  to  be  decided  whether  or  not  the 
Belle vite  is  to  go  into  the  navy  of  the  United 
States  or  the  navy  of  the  Confederate  States,” 
added  Christy,  leaving  the  engine-room. 

“ If  we  have  snuffed  the  whole  thing,  I don’t 
believe  this  steamer  will  ever  wear  anything  but 
the  Stars  and  Stripes,”  said  Sampson  stoutly ; and 
there  could  Te  no  doubt  in  regard  to  his  loyalty, 
judging  from  his  speech,  though  that  is  not  always 
to  be  trusted  in  time  of  war. 

“ Bellevite,  ahoy ! ” shouted  some  one  at  the 
foot  of  the  accommodation  steps. 

“ Have  they  come  again  so  soon  ? ” asked  Samp- 
son, as  he  rushed  to  the  rail.  “ It  is  only  a small 
canoe.” 

“ Is  Christy  on  board  ? ” called  the  visitor  along- 
side. 

“ That  is  Mr.  Vapoor : tell  him  I am  on  board,” 
added  Christy. 

“ Christy  is  on  board,  sir,”  replied  Sampson  to 
the  hail.  “ Will  you  come  on  board,  sir  ? ” 

Paul  Vapoor  would  and  did  come  on  board,  and 
Christy  gave  him  a hearty  welcome,  for  he  was 
more  glad  to  see  him  than  he  had  ever  been  before 
in  his  life. 


84 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ Where  have  you  been  all  day  and  all  the 
evening,  Christy?”  asked  the  engineer.  “Your 
mother  and  sister  are  very  much  worried  about 
you,  for  they  have  not  seen  you  for  a long  time, 
and  they  fear  that  something  has  happened  to 
you.” 

“ Something  is  likely  to  happen  to  me  and  all 
the  rest  of  us  who  expect  to  go  to  sea  in  this 
steamer,”  replied  Christy,  as  he  proceeded  to 
inform  his  friend  as  briefly  as  he  could  of  the  great 
event  of  the  evening. 

“ Well,  if  we  are  not  in  the  enemy’s  country, 
the  enemy  are  in  ours,”  replied  Paul.  “ What  is 
to  be  done  ? ” 

“ That  is  what  I have  been  thinking  of.  I lis- 
tened very  attentively  to  all  that  passed  between 
Major  Pierson  and  Captain  Carboneer,  and  I am 
satisfied  that  the  latter  has  a considerable  force 
somewhere  on  the  river,  and  their  headquarters  are 
at  the  mouth  of  a creek  five  miles  down  the  river.” 

“ How  many  have  they  ? ” asked  the  engineer. 

“ I don’t  know ; they  did  not  mention  the 
precise  number,  but  they  have  thirty  seamen, 
besides  engineers  and  other  officers,”  replied 
Christy,  very  seriously. 


MIDSHIPMAN  CHRISTY  PASSFORD 


85 


“ That  means  forty  or  fifty,  at  least,”  added 
Paul.  “ This  looks  like  a heavy  matter,  and  it  is 
quite  time  that  something  was  done  about  it.” 

“ But  what  shall  we  do  is  the  question,”  said 
Christy  anxiously.  “We  have  two  men  on  board 
beside  ourselves,  and  we  can  hardly  expect  to  hold 
our  own  against  fifty.” 

“ Who  is  this  Captain  Carboneer  ? ” 

“ I saw  him  at  Nassau,  and  he  looked  like  a man 
of  decision  and  character.  I don’t  know  anything 
about  him,  but  I have  no  doubt  he  is  a naval 
officer,  both  from  the  circumstances  and  from  what 
I heard.  I should  say  that  he  knows  what  he  is 
about.  You  said  that  my  father  has  not  yet 
returned  from  the  city  ? ” 

“ He  had  not  come  at  ten  o’clock,  and  if  he 
comes  at  all,  the  late  train  does  not  arrive  till 
after  twelve.” 

“It  may  be  too  late  to  do  anything  at  that 
time,”  said  Christy.  “ But  I don’t  mean  to  give 
up  the  ship.” 

“ Good  ! I am  with  you  on  that  point,  Christy. 
I called  at  your  house  to  inform  you  that  you  had 
been  appointed  a midshipman  in  the  navy,  and 
you  are  likely  to  have  a chance  to  christen  your 


86  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 

commission  to-night.  This  was  all  the  rank  they 
could  give  you,  though  you  will  really  be  a passed 
midshipman,  and  be  a master  very  soon.” 

Christy  was  delighted  with  this  news,  though 
he  had  no  time  to  make  a demonstration  of  delight 
over  it.  He  had  narrowly  escaped  being  the  third 
officer  of  the  Bellevite  the  year  before,  because  his 
father  did  not  believe  in  putting  him  forward  as 
fast  as  his  abilities  would  have  warranted  him  in 
doing.  Captain  Breaker  and  Paul  Vapoor  had 
made  the  application  for  a position  in  the  navy  ; 
for  his  father  would  not  do  it,  for  the  reason  that 
he  did  not  wish  to  ask  any  favors  for  a member  of 
his  own  family. 

“ I thank  you  and  Captain  Breaker  for  all  you 
have  done  for  me,  Paul,  and  I hope  I shall  be  able 
to  give  a good  account  of  myself.  But  we  have 
no  time  to  talk  about  that  now.  Captain  Carbo- 
neer  was  waiting  for  a steamer  which  his  naval 
associate,  Lieutenant  Haslett,  was  to  charter  or 
buy  for  the  use  of  the  party,”  said  Christy,  as  he 
led  the  way  to  the  forward  deck  of  the  steamer. 

He  and  the  engineer  mounted  the  top-gallant 
forecastle,  and  looked  intently  down  the  river. 
The  tide  was  coming  in,  so  that  the  vessel,  in 


MIDSHIPMAN  CHRISTY  PASSFORD 


87 


coming  up  to  her  cable,  pointed  in  that  direction. 
But  they  could  see  nothing,  not  a craft  of  any 
description.  Then  Christy  led  the  way  to  the 
long  gun  mounted  amidships.  He  sighted  across 
the  piece,  and,  in  a moment  more,  his  mind  seemed 
to  have  settled  on  the  policy  to  be  pursued  in  the 
present  dangerous  emergency.  Perhaps  the  cap- 
ture of  a steamer  under  such  circumstances  was  a 
thing  unheard  of  at  that  time,  but  doubtless  it 
looked  simple  enough  to  those  who  were  engaged 
in  the  enterprise. 

“ Do  you  think  of  engaging  the  enemy  at  long 
range,  Christy  ? ” asked  Paul,  with  a smile  on  his 
fine  face,  as  seen  by  the  light  of  the  lantern  which 
Sampson  had  brought  to  the  place. 

“ I think  of  beating  them  off  in  any  way  we 
can,”  replied  the  middy,  as  his  friends  all  called 
him  from  that  time.  “ I have  the  gun  pointing  to 
a certain  object  on  the  river,  which  Captain  Carbo- 
neer’s  steamer  must  pass.  He  can’t  help  putting 
his  craft  where  the  muzzle  of  this  piece  will  cover 
it ; and  if  we  pull  the  lock-string  at  that  instant, 
the  shot  will  knock  his  steamer  all  to  pieces,  and 
spill  the  conspirators  into  the  river.” 

“ If  you  hit  her,”  suggested  Paul. 


88 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“You  can’t  very  well  help  hitting  her.  Just 
squint  along  that  gun,  and  see  where  the  shot  will 
bring  up.” 

Paul  complied  with  this  request,  and  took  a 
long  look  over  the  great  gun. 

“I  should  say  that  it  was  pointed  a little  too 
high,”  said  he. 

“ Perhaps  it  is  ; I have  not  fixed  it  just  as  I 
mean  to  have  it.  We  will  put  in  the  charge  before 

we  do  that,”  added  Christy,  who  was  now  as  self- 

« 

possessed  as  though  there  was  no  excitement 
attending  the  operation  he  was  arranging. 

“ Do  you  know  what  steamer  Captain  Carbine 
will  have  ? ” asked  Paul. 

“Not  Carbine;  Carboneer.  No,  I don’t  know 
what  steamer  he  will  have  ; only  that  she  is  an  old 
one,  and  has  a walking-beam,”  replied  Christy. 

“That  is  rather  indefinite,  midshipman,” . added 
Paul,  with  a smile.  “ You  can’t  always  tell  what 
a steamer  is  by  looking  at  her,  especially  in  the 
night ; and  a walking-beam  is  not  a‘  novelty  on  a 
steamer  upon  this  river.  You  may  send  that  shot 
through  the  wrong  vessel ; and  if  you  should  hap- 
pen to  kill  a dozen  or  two  of  loyal  citizens  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  they  might  be  mean  enough 


MIDSHIPMAN  CHRISTY  PASSFORD 


89 


to  hang  you,  or  send  you  to  the  State  prison  for 
life  for  it.  It  won’t  do  to  fire  off  a shotted  gun 
like  that  baby  without  knowing  pretty  well  what 
you  are  shooting  at.” 

“ That  is  a long  argument,  Paul ; and  I have 
not  the  remotest  idea  of  doing  any  such  thing  as 
you  describe.  I am  going  to  know  what  we  are 
firing  at  before  we  pull  the  lock-string,”  replied 
Christy,  rather  impatiently.  “ But  we  have  no 
time  to  dig  up  mare’s  nests.  We  will  get  up  the 
ammunition  and  load  this  gun  ; then  we  will  do 
the  rest  of  the  business.” 

As  ship-keeper  and  a member  of  the  engineer’s 
department  for  the  last  year,  Sampson  knew  where 
everything  was  to  be  found.  With  all  the  usual 
precautions,  the  magazine  was  opened,  and  ammuni- 
tion enough  for  three  -charges  was  conveyed  to  the 
deck,  Warping  having  been  called  in  to  assist  in 
the  work.  The  gun  was  carefully  loaded  under 
the  direction  of  Christy,  who  had  been  fully  in- 
structed and  drilled  in  the  duty.  It  was  pointed 
as  nearly  as  practicable  to  the  point  in  the  channel 
which  the  hostile  steamer  must  pass,  though  the 
aim  was  to  be  rectified  at  the  last  moment. 

Paul  went  to  his  stateroom  and  took  off  his 


90 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


handsome  uniform,  replacing  it  with  a suit  of  his 
working  garments.  Then  he  hastened  to  the 
engine,  examined  it,  and  satisfied  himself  that  it 
was  in  good  condition  for  the  office  which  was 
soon  to  be  required  of  it.  He  gave  Sampson  par- 
ticular directions  for  his  duty,  and  then  went 
down  the  accommodation  steps  with  the  midship- 
man. 

“ What  are  you  going  to  do  next,  Christy  ? ” 
asked  Paul,  for  the  young  naval  officer  had  been 
too  busy  with  his  preparations  to  develop  his  plan 
in  full. 

“ We  will  go  ashore  first,  and  I will  take  the 
Florence  to  the  boat-house,”  replied  Christy. 
“ The  next  thing  to  be  done  is  to  make  a recon- 
noissance  down  the  river.” 

“ Why  not  go  down  in  the  Florence  ? ” sug- 
gested Paul. 

“ Because  that  would  be  too  simple  and  inno- 
cent altogether,”  replied  the  middy ; and  perhaps 
he  felt  some  of  the  dignity  of  his  new  rank.  “ I 
think  we  had  better  see  without  being  seen,  espe- 
cially as  Captain  Carboneer  has  seen  and  sailed 
the  sloop.  I have  no  doubt  he  has  a sharp,  nauti- 
cal eye,  and  that  he  will  recognize  her.  He  might 


MIDSHIPMAN  CHRISTY  PASSFORD 


91 


be  rash  enough  to  capture  her,  and  thus  deprive 
the  United  States  Navy  of  two  young,  but  able 
and  hopeful  officers,  to  say  nothing  of  bottling 
them  up  so  that  he  could  make  short  work  of 
the  Belle  vite.” 

“ You  are  right,  Christy,  as  you  always  are. 
But  see  your  mother  before  you  do  anything,  and 
I will  obey  orders.  She  worries  about  you.” 

They  landed  and  hastened  to  the  mansion. 


92 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


CHAPTER  VIII 

ARRANGING  THE  SIGNALS 

Mrs.  Passford  was  astounded  at  the  news 
brought  in  by  her  son,  and  Miss  Florry  was  terri- 
fied when  informed  that  Major  Pierson  was  not 
far  from  the  mansion.  But  Paul  Vapoor  assured 
the  latter  that  there  was  no  danger,  and  Christy 
convinced  his  mother,  who  had  a great  deal  of 
confidence  in  him,  that  he  was  fully  equal  to  the 
occasion. 

“ But  I do  not  see  that  you  can  beat  off  the 
assailants  if  they  happen  to  get  alongside  of  the 
Bellevite,”  suggested  Mrs.  Passford.  “ There  are 
only  four  of  you  at  the  most.” 

“ I hope  for  re-enforcements,”  replied  Christy,  as 
he  rang  a bell  for  a servant.  “ Beeks  and  Thayer, 
two  of  the  quartermasters,  live  in  the  village  ; 
Mr.  Watts,  the  chief  steward,  and  three  others  of 
the  old  ship’s  company,  live  near  here,  and  I think 
we  can  raise  half  a dozen  more,  making  ten  in  all.” 


ARRANGING  THE  SIGNALS 


93 


“ I know  where  to  find  half  a dozen  coal- 
passers,”  added  Paul. 

“ Then  we  shall  do  very  well  if  we  succeed  in 
finding  all  these,”  added  Christy,  as  the  man-ser- 
vant came  to  the  door. 

“ Call  up  all  the  stablemen,  and  have  two  horses 
saddled  as  quick  as  possible,”  continued  Christy  to 
the  man. 

“ What’s  that  for,  Christy  ? ” asked  Paul,  who 
had  succeeded  in  quieting  the  fears  of  Miss 
Florry. 

He  was  not  altogether  inexperienced  in  this 
duty,  for  the  young  lady  had  been  alarmed  more 
than  once  on  board  of  the  steam  yacht,  and  he 
was  always  more  successful  than  any  other  person 
at  these  times. 

u I can’t  stop  to  talk  it  all  over,  Paul ; but  if 
you  will  trust  me,  I will  tell  you  as  we  go  along 
what  I think  of  doing,”  replied  Christy. 

“ All  right,  midshipman  ; I belong  to  the  engine 
department,  and  we  always  obey  orders  even  if 
the  ship  goes  down,”  added  Paul,  laughing. 

“I  am  willing  enough  to  tell  you,  but  I have 
not  the  time  to  spin  a long  yarn,  and  perhaps 
answer  objections,  just  now.  We  will  mount  the 


94 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


horses  as  soon  as  they  come  to  the  door,  and  drum 
up  the  force  we  have  mentioned.” 

Christy  continued  by  giving  Paul  the  names  of 
those  he  was  to  visit  and  summon  to  the  deck  of 
the  Bellevite,  and  then  they  were  to  meet  at  a 
given  place.  They  mounted  the  two  fleet  horses 
which  Christy  had  selected  for  the  occasion,  and 
dashed  off  to  the  town,  a short  distance  from  the 
river.  The  middy  found  the  two  quartermasters, 
who  boarded  in  the  same  house.  They  were  to  go 
on  board  of  the  steamer  at  once  ; but  Beeks  was  to 
bring  a canoe  from  the  boat-house  to  the  point  on 
the  shore  nearest  to  the  Bellevite  before  he  went 
on  board.  Both  of  these  men  were  cautioned  not 
to  say  anything  to  any  person  they  might  see,  and 
the  same  instruction  was  given  to  all  the  others 
whose  services  were  required. 

Mr.  Watts  had  not  retired  when  Christy  called 
at  his  house,  and  he  was  duly  startled  by  the 
information  the  young  officer  gave  him.  He  was 
as  ready  to  take  part  in  the  enterprise  as  even  the 
middy  himself,  and  he  was  conducted  to  the  place 
where  Paul  was  to  meet  the  leader.  He  had  more 
calls  to  make  than  Christy,  and  they  had  to  wait 
some  time  for  him ; but  when  he  did  come,  he 


ARRANGING  THE  SIGNALS 


95 


reported  that  he  had  found  and  sent  on  board  all 
the  firemen  and  coal-passers  he  had  named,  and  a 
few  more,  besides  the  old  sailors  who  had  sailed 
for  years  in  the  yachts  of  the  owner  of  the  Belle- 
vite. 

The  services  of  about  a dozen  had  been  procured, 
but  half  of  these  were  to  do  duty  in  connection 
with  the  engine,  and  the  party  so  hastily  gathered 
were  not  strong  enough  to  beat  off  the  force  of  the 
enemy  if  they  attempted  to  board  the  vessel. 

“Now,  Paul,  I want  you  to  understand  the 
whole  affair  before  we  go  any  farther ; and  I wish 
you  would  go  on  board  and  take  the  command 
there,”  said  the  midshipman,  as  soon  as  the  engi- 
neer had  reported  the  result  of  his  mission. 

“ But  are  you  not  going  to  be  on  board,  Christy  ? 
I don’t  pretend  to  be  a sailor  or  a gunner,”  said 
Paul. 

“ I shall  go  on  board  as  soon  as  I can,”  replied 
Christy.  “ You  will  find  a boat  on  the  shore, 
near  the  steamer,  and  you  will  go  on  board  in  that ; 
but  have  the  boat  sent  back  for  me.” 

“ All  right,  Christy  ; I will  obey  orders,”  added 
Paul,  as  he  dismounted  from  his  horse. 

“ Mr.  Watts  will  take  your  horse,  and  ride  with 


96 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


me  down  the  shore.  We  can  see  the  river  all  the 
way,  for  we  shall  not  stick  to  the  road  when  it 
leads  us  away  from  it.  As  soon  as  we  discover 
the  steamer  that  is  to  bring  up  the  enemy,  I will 
run  my  horse  back  to  this  point,  and  go  on  board.” 
“ That  is  all  easy  enough,”  added  Paul. 

44  Easy  enough ; but  I can  form  no  idea  as  to 
when  the  steamer  will  come.  We  may  have  to 
wait  till  morning  for  it,  and  perhaps  the  plan  of 
the  enemy  will  fail,  and  they  will  not  come  at  all.” 
44  If  they  don’t  come  to-night,  they  never  will ; 
and  there  will  be  time  enough  for  the  home  guard 
to  scour  the  woods,  and  arrest  all  suspicious  per- 
sons.” 

44 1 said  what  I did  so  that  you  need  not  be 
impatient  if  you  have  to  wait  a long  time.  You 
will  have  a watch  kept  from  the  moment  you  get 
on  board,  and  no  stranger  is  to  be  allowed  to  put 
a foot  on  the  deck.  Captain  Carboneer  may  send 
some  one  of  his  party  to  see  that  everything  is 
working  right  on  board  for  his  side  of  the  affair.” 

44 1 will  do  that.” 

44  See  that  the  steam  is  well  up,  so  that  we  can 
move  off  in  good  time  if  we  find  it  necessary  to 
get  under  way,”  continued  Christy. 


ARRANGING  THE  SIGNALS 


97 


“ I thought  that  was  a settled  point,  and  the 
ship  was  to  be  taken  down  the  river  in  any  case/’ 
said  Paul. 

“ I supposed  so  myself  in  the  beginning  ; but  if 
it  is  not  necessary  to  run  away,  I don’t  care  to  do 
so.  Let  Boxie  see  that  the  cable  is  buoyed  and 
ready  to  run  out  at  a moment’s  notice.” 

“ All  right,  midshipman,”  replied  Paul,  as  he 
hastened  to  the  boat. 

“ Why  does  he  call  you  midshipman  ? — that  is 
a new  name,”  said  the  chief  steward. 

“ He  brought  me  the  news  this  evening  that  I 
had  been  appointed  in  the  navy  with  that  rank,” 
replied  Christy.  “Now  we  will  ride  down  the 
river.  Do  you  happen  to  know  what  time  it  is, 
Mr.  Watts  ? ” 

“ I don’t  know,  but  I think  it  is  about  half-past 
eleven.  I am  not  much  of  an  equestrian,”  replied 
the  steward,  as  he  mounted  the  horse,  “ for  I have 
been  to  sea  all  my  life  ; but  I think  I can  stay  on 
if  the  beast  don’t  run  away  with  me.” 

“ He  is  perfectly  gentle,  and  he  will  not  run 
away  with  you.  We  have  no  occasion  to  ride  fast, 
and  we  may  not  have  to  go  more  than  two  or 
three  miles.” 


98 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


They  rode  along  the  river  for  a few  minutes, 
and  then  Christy  reined  in  his  steed  and  dis- 
mounted. He  went  to  the  water  side,  at  a point 
where  there  was  a bend,  and  carefully  examined 
the  surroundings,  both  above  and  below. # He 
could  not  see  the  Bellevite  in  the  darkness,  for  he 
had  directed  the  engineer  to  allow  no  light  to  be 
shown  on  board  of  her.  He  had  brought  a little 
mathematics  into  his  calculations,  and  he  had 
pointed  the  big  gun  of  the  steamer  so  as  to  cover 
the  craft  with  the  walking-beam  when  she  came  in 
sight  around  this  turn  of  the  stream.  By  this 
plan  she  was  sure  to  come  into  the  range  of  the 
piece,  no  matter  on  which  side  of  the  channel  she 
was  moving. 

“ Now,  Mr.  Watts,  I have  a further  duty  for 
you  to  perform,”  said  Christy,  as  he  explained  his 
plan  to  the  steward.  “We  shall  go  down  the 
river  till  we  meet  this  steamer  which  conveys  the 
enemy.  As  you  are  a sailor  as  well  as  a caterer, 
you  have  a nautical  eye,  and  when  you  have  seen 
this  steamer  you  will  know  her  again.” 

“ Trust  me  for  that.  If  it  is  the  old  tub  I think 
it  is,  I know  her  already,”  answered  the  steward. 

“ What  steamer  do  you  think  it  is  ? ” 


ARRANGING  THE  SIGNALS 


99 


“ The  old  Vampire  ; and  if  you  give  her  much 
of  a rap,  she  will  go  to  the  bottom  without  the 
least  difficulty.” 

“ I don’t  care  where  she  goes  to,  provided  she 
don’t  put  her  passengers  on  board  of  the- Belle vite. 
But  I tfm  taking  you  down  the  river  with  me  in 
order  that  you  may  see  her  and  know  her.” 

“ I shall  know  her  as  soon  as  I see  her.” 

“ As  I said  before,  I shall  run  my  horse  back 
and  get  aboard  of  the  Bellevite  as  soon  as  I am 
satisfied  that  the  enemy  are  moving  up  the  river,” 
continued  Christy. 

“ I am  afraid  I shall  not  be  able  to  keep  up 
with  you  if  you  run  your  horse,”  suggested  the 
steward. 

“I  don’t  want  you  to  keep  up  with  me.  You 
can  come  along  as  leisurely  as  you  please,  though 
you  must  not  let  the  enemy  get  ahead  of  you.” 

“ If  the  enemy  are  in  the  old  Vampire,  I could 
keep  ahead  of  her  on  foot.” 

“You  had  better  keep  ahead  of  her  on  your 
horse  about  a quarter  of  a mile,  or  more ; but  your 
main  duty  will  be  here.  I have  brought  with  me 
half  a dozen  Roman  candles,  and  I am  going  to 
fix  them  in  the  ground  on  this  spot.  Here  is  a 


100 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


bunch  of  matches,”  said  Christy,  handing  it  to 
him. 

The  steward  watched  the  midshipman  while  he 
planted  the  fireworks  in  the  sand,  and  particularly 
marked  the  spot  where  they  were  located,  for  his 
companion  told  him  he  was  to  fire  them,  and  he 
must  be  ready  to  do  so  without  any  delay. 

“ A boy  could  do  that  and  like  the  fun  of  it,” 
said  Mr.  Watts,  laughing  at  the  simple  duty  he 
was  to  perform. 

u But  it  is  the  time  that  you  are  to  do  it,  and 
the  boy  might  be  skylarking,  or  become  impatient. 
This  signal  of  the  fireworks  is  to  assure  us  at  the 
right  moment  that  the  Vampire,  if  it  should  be 
she,  is  in  the  place  where  I expect  her  to  be.” 

“ I understand  it  perfectly.” 

“ After  I leave  you,  anothel  steamer  may  come 
along,  and  get  to  this  point  ahead  of  the  Vampire ; 
and  I should  be  very  sorry  to  blow  her  out  of  the 
water,  or  sink  her  under  it.  You  are  to  let  us 
know  by  this  signal  that  it  is  the  Vampire,  and  no 
other,  that  is  coming  round  the  bend.  You  had 
better  leave  your  horse  a short  distance  from  the 
river,  for  that  gun  will  make  every  pane  of  glass 
within  a mile  of  it  shake  when  it  is  discharged.” 


ARRANGING  THE  SIGNALS 


101 


“ You  may  be  sure  that  I will  not  be-  on  his 
back  at  that  time.” 

“ Still  further : I have  planted  six  candles  in 
the  sand.  You  will  light  only  one  of  them  when 
the  steamer  begins  to  round  the  bend.  That  will 
be  enough  to  inform  us  of  the  fact  on  board  of  the 
Bellevite.” 

“ What  are  the  others  for  ? ” asked  the  steward, 
taking  a memorandum-book  from  his  pocket  as 
though  he  intended  to  write  his  instructions. 

u It  is  not  necessary  to  write  it.  We  shall  not 
be  able  to  see  what  effect  the  shot  produces  after 
we  fire.  If  the  Vampire,  always  supposing  she 
is  the  one,  is  not  hurt,  light  a second  candle  — 
only  one  of  them.  If  she  should  be  disabled, 
you  will  light  two  candles.” 

Christy  repeated  what  he  had  said,  and  was 
careful  not  to  give  the  steward  too  much  to 
remember.  As  soon  as  the  matter  was  fully 

understood,  the  middy  mounted  his  horse,  and 
they  proceeded  on  their  mission  down  the  river. 
After  they  had  ridden  about  three  miles,  Mr. 
Watts  insisted  that  the  steamer  was  coming,  and 
that  it  was  the  Vampire. 

“ I don’t  see  anything,”  added  Christy. 


102 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ Neither  do  I ; but  I know  that  the  Vampire  is 
coming  up  the  river.  If  you  listen,  you  will  hear 
a hoarse  puffing;  and  nothing  but  that  old  ark 
could  make  such  a wheezy  noise,”  replied  the 
steward. 

The  middy  heard  it  and  was  satisfied. 


THE  APPROACH  OF  THE  VAMPIRE 


103 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  APPROACH  OF  THE  VAMPIRE 

The  Vampire,  as  the  steward  had  no  doubt  it 
was,  could  not  be  less  than  a mile  distant  from  the 
spot  where  the  two  horsemen  had  halted  in  the 
road.  Christy  was  very  familiar  with  this  portion 
of  the  river,  and  after  he  had  listened  a few 
moments,  he  was  satisfied  from  the  direction  of 
the  sound  he  heard,  that  a mile  was  very  nearly 
the  exact  distance.  The  approaching  steamer  had 
to  come  around  a small  bend,  the  arc  of  which 
made  just  a mile. 

“ I don’t  wish  to  blow  up  a dozen  or  twenty 
loyal  citizens,  and  I must  make  sure  in  some  way 
that  Captain  Carboneer’s  party  is  on  board  of  that 
steamer,”  said  Christy,  as  he  led  his  horse  into  a 
field,  and  tied  him  to  a tree,  the  steward  following 
his  example. 

“ That  would  be  a very  bad  thing  to  do,”  added 
Mr.  Watts,  as  they  walked  back  to  the  river. 


104 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LLNES 


“ But  I don’t  see  why  it  is  necessary  to  blow  up 
even  any  rebels  on  the  present  occasion.  If  that 
naval  officer  has  forty  men,  as  you  think  he  has,  a 
shot  from  that  long  gun  would  make  terrible 
havoc  among  them  if  you  succeeded  in  hitting  her. 
You  might  kill  half  of  them.” 

“ If  we  do  they,  and  not  we,  will  be  responsible 
for  it,”  added  Christy,  somewhat  appalled  by  the 
suggestion  of  his  companion. 

“ If  you  have  steam  up  on  board  of  the  Belle- 
vite,  why  not  get  under  way  and  run  down  the 
river,”  continued  Mr.  Watts. 

“ Perhaps  I am  a coward,  but  I am  afraid  to  do 
that,”  replied  the  midshipman,  thoughtfully. 

“ We  all  know  that  you  are  no  coward,  Christy, 
and  if  you  don’t  send  a shot  into  the  .Vampire,  it 
will  not  be  because  you  are  afraid.” 

“ Although  I know  the  river  as  well  as  any  pilot 
in  this  vicinity,  I should  not  dare  to  run  the  Belle- 
vite  at  full  speed  around  such  a bend  as  the  one 
off  this  spot,”  Christy  explained.  “We  have  not 
above  half  a dozen  trained  sailors  who  know  how 
to  handle  a cutlass  on  board,  and  all  the  others 
will  be  needed  in  working  the  steamer.  The  coal- 
passers  would  be  good  for  nothing  in  repelling 
boarders.” 


THE  APPROACH  OF  THE  VAMPIRE 


105 


»•  l * 


“ You  think  Captain  Carbon eer  would  board 
the  steamer,  do  you  ? ” 

“ I have  no  doubt  he  would.  He  is  a naval 
officer,  and  he  knows  what  he  is  about.  There 
are  several  ways  that  he  might  get  a hold  on  the 
Bellevite,  and,  if  he  got  alongside  of  her,  I am 
afraid  it  would  be  all  up  with  us,  and  we  should 
have  a fair  chance  to  see  the  inside  of  a Confed- 
erate prison.  I am  afraid  to  run  the  risk  you  sug- 
gest, Mr.  Watts.” 

“ You  know  best,  and  I don’t  mean  to  interfere ; 
I only  thought  I would  suggest  the  idea,”  added 
the  steward,  as  they  reached  the  bank  of  the  river 
again. 

After  he  had  secured  his  horse,  Christy  had 
lighted  a match  and  looked  at  his  watch.  It  was  a 
quarter  of  one,  and  still  the  puffing  of  the  Vam- 
pire came  from  the  same  direction.  It  was  plain 
enough  to  him  that  the  old  tub  was  not  a racer. 
But  she  showed  herself  beyond  the  bend  in  about 
a quarter  of  an  hour,  indicating  that  her  rate  of 
. speed,  or  rather  of  slowness,  was  not  more  than 
four  statute  rfriles  an  hour.  But  this  was  simply 
confirmation  of  what  the  steward  had  said  on  the 
subject.  Yet  she  was  coming,  though  it  was  too 


106  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 

l 

dark  on  the  river  to  see  her  in  detail.  Though  he 
strained  his  eyes  to  the  utmost,  Christy  could  not 
discover  any  men  on  her  forward  deck. 

“ I think  you  had  better  move  back  where  you 
cannot  be  seen,”  said  the  midshipman,  in  a low 
tone,  to  his  companion. 

“ Do  you  wish  me  to  leave  you  alone,  Christy?,” 
asked  the  steward,  surprised  at  the  request. 

“ That  is  just  what  I wish,  for  I don’t  care  to 
have  any  one  on  board  of  the  Vampire  see  more 
than  one  person  at  this  point,”  replied  Christy, 
still  gazing  through  the  gloom  at  the  approaching 
steamer. 

“ Excuse  me,  Christy ; but  what  are  you  going 
to  do  ? I prefer  to  be  within  supporting  distance 
of  you.” 

“ I don’t  think  I shall  need  any  support.  I am 
going  to  hail  the  Vampire,  and  ask  if  Captain 
Carboneer  is  on  board,”  replied  the  midshipman, 
quietly. 

“ You  are  going  to  hail  her  ! ” exclaimed  Mr. 
Watts.  u Are  you  mad,  Christy?  I should  say  . 
that  you  were.” 

“ You  shall  be  your  own  judge  on  that  point.” 

u But  the  moment  you  use  the  name  of  Captain 


THE  APPROACH  OF  THE  VAMPIRE  107 


Carboneer,  they  will  take  the  alarm,  and  the  next 
thing  will  be  a bullet  through  your  head.” 

“ I will  take  the  risk  of  that,”  answered  Christy. 
“ But  you  need  not  go  far  from  the  river  on  this 
dark  night.  There  is  a clump  of  bushes  this  side 
of  the  road,  and  you  may  get  behind  it.” 

The  steward  was  not  at  all  satisfied  with  the 
situation,  but  he  complied  with  the  request  of 
the  midshipman,  and  concealed  himself  behind 
the  bushes.  Christy  took  a position  on  the  very 
verge  of  the  water.  The  progress  of  the  Vampire 
was  made  at  the  expense  of  a hideous  noise,  and 
she  was  a craft  not  at  all  adapted  to  the  purpose  of 
the  conspirators.  The  middy  watched  her  with 
the  most  intense  interest  as  she  approached  the 
point  where  he  was  stationed.  There  was  no  light 
to  be  seen  on  board,  and  there  appeared  to  be  no 
men  on  her  lower  deck  ; but  she  had  a cabin  and 
other  rooms,  in  which  a force  as  large  as  that  of 
the  captain  could  be  concealed. 

“ Steamer,  ahoy ! ” shouted  Christy,  as  soon  as 
the  Vampire  was  abreast  of  the  spot  he  occupied. 

No  answer  came  to  this  hail,  and  the  midship- 
man repeated  it,  louder  than  before. 

“ On  shore  ! ” replied  a voice  from  the  forward 
deck. 


108 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ Come  up  to  the  shore,  and  take  me  on  board, 
will  you  ? ” continued  Christy,  disguising  his  voice 
to  some  extent  the  better  to  answer  his  purpose. 

u Who  is  it  ? ” demanded  the  person  on  board 
who  acted  as  speaker ; and  Christy  could  see  his 
form  very  distinctly,  as  he  stood  at  an  open  gang- 
way, and  was  the  only  person  in  sight  on  the 
lower  deck. 

“Brigster,”  replied  Christy,  chewing  up  the 
word  he  coined  so  that  the  man  could  not  possibly 
make  it  out. 

“Are  you  alone,  Brewster?”  demanded  the 
speaker  from  the  steamer. 

This  was  a hard  question,  and  with  less  infor- 
mation than  he  had  obtained  while  in  his  cabin  on 
board  of  the  Florence,  he  would  not  have  dared  to 
reply  to  it.  But  he  knew  something  of  the  plan 
of  the  conspirators,  and  he  felt  competent  to 
answer. 

“ Three  more  back  in  the  road,”  replied  Christy, 
promptly  ; and  he  said  three  so  as  to  give  the  idea 
that  the  force  on  board  might  be  increased  by  this 
number.  “ Is  Captain  Carbon eer  on  board  of  that 
steamer?”  asked  the  midshipman,  coming  to  his 
main  point. 


“Steamer,  Ahoy!  ” shouted  Christy. — Page  107. 


THE  APPROACH  OF  THE  VAMPIRE  109 


“He  is,  and  we  are  all  here  but  four,”  replied 
the  speaker  on  the  deck  ; and  Christy  was  satisfied 
that  the  captain  was  the  person  by  this  time,  for 
his  language  and  his  voice  indicated  that  he  was 
an  educated  man. 

“We  had  no  boat,  and  we  could  not  get  across 
the  river  to  the  creek,”  added  Christy,  to  increase 
the  confidence  of  the  leader  of  the  expedition. 
“But  we  saw  a boat  half  a mile  up  the  river,  and 
we  will  come  off  there,  if  you  say  so.” 

“ All  right ; come  on  board  as  soon  as  you  can,” 
added  Captain  Carboneer,  as  he  walked  away  from 
the  gangway. 

Mindful  of  the  peril  of  the  situation,  Christy 
walked  leisurely  back  from  the  river,  and  soon 
joined  Mr.  Watts,  who  had  been  near  enough  to 
hear  the  conversation  between  the  captain  and  the 
midshipman. 

“ That  was  done  very  handsomely,  Christy,” 
said  the  steward. 

“ There  was  no  great  difficulty  in  handling  such 
a matter  when  one  knew  all  about  the  plot  as  I 
did.  The  fault  on  the  other  side  was  that  they  did 
not  examine  the  cabin  of  the  Florence  before  they 
discussed  their  plans  in  the  standing-room,”  re- 


110 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


plied  Christy,  as  he  unfastened  his  horse,  and 
sprang  upon  his  back.  “ I have  no  time  to  spare 
now.” 

“ There  is  nothing  more  to  be  done  here,  I 
believe,”  added  Mr.  Watts. 

u Not  a thing.  You  can  ride  back  to  the  place 
where  the  Roman  candles  are  planted,  and  you 
need  not  hurry  about  it,  for  the  Vampire  don't 
make  more  than  four  miles  an  hbur.  Now  be  par- 
ticular to  carry  out  my  instructions  to  the  letter, 
Mr.  Watts;  and  you  can  see  that  a great  deal 
depends  upon  which  signal  you  majr  have  occasion 
to  give,”  added  the  midshipman. 

u I understand  what  I am  to  do  perfectly,  and  I 
will  do  my  duty  faithfully,  you  may  be  sure,”  re- 
plied the  steward,  as  he  mounted  his  horse. 

Christy  did  not  wait  for  him,  but  put  his  steed 
into  a dead  run  on  the  moment.  The  road  was 
only  a cart-path,  and  it  was  so  soft  that  the 
horse’s  hoofs  made  no  noise  to  betray  his  move- 
ments to  the  enemy.  He  urged  the  willing  beast 
to  his  utmost*  speed,  for  he  was  as  much  at 
home  in  the  saddle  as  he  was  in  the  rigging  of 
a ship.  Before  the  Vampire  had  made  another 
eighth  of  a mile,  he  had  reached  the  place  where 


THE  APPROACH  OP  THE  VAMPIRE  111 


the  boat  had  been  left  for  his  use.  What  to  do 
with  his  horse  was  a question,  for  the  report  of 
the  big  gun  would  set  him  crazy.  But  he  knew 
that  the  men  must  be  at  the  house,  and  he  turned 
the  animal  loose,  satisfied  that  he  would  go  to  the 
stable  without  any  guidance. 

Springing  into  the  boat,  he  pulled  to  the  Belle- 
vite.  At  the  accommodation  steps,  he  was  chal- 
lenged by  Sampson,  who  demanded  like  one  in 
authority  who*  and  what  he  was,  for  the  experience 
of  the  evening  had  greatly  sharpened  his  wits. 

u Who  is  it  ? ” he  demanded,  in  a tone  which  im- 
plied his  intention  to  have  a satisfactory  answer. 
u Advance  and  give  the  word.” 

“ Give  the  word  ! ” exclaimed  Christy.  “ I 
have  no  word  to  give.” 

u Then  you  can’t  come  on  board,”  replied  Samp- 
son dogmatically. 

“ I am  Christy  Passford,  and  I have  not  heard 
about  any  word,”  protested  the  midshipman. 

“ You  can’t  pour  molasses  down  my  back 
again,”  replied  Sampson,  with  a self-satisfied  air. 

“ Don’t  be  a fool,  Sampson,”  added  Christy,  as 
he  climbed  upon  the  steps,  the  lower  part  of 
which  had  been  hoisted  up. 


112 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ I have  been  a fool  once,  and  I don’t  mean  to 
be  again,”  replied  the  sentinel.  “ On  deck,  there  ! 
Bring  a lantern  out  of  the  engine-room  ! ” 

“ Don’t  bring  a lantern  in  sight ! ” protested 
Christy  impatiently. 

“ What’s  the  row  there,  Sampson  ? ” called  Paul 
Vapoor,  mounting  the  rail,  and  looking  through 
the  darkness  at  the  steps,  down  which  the  vigi- 
lant sentinel  had  descended  more  than  half  way 
to  the  water. 

“ This  fellow  says  he  is  Christy  Passford ; and  I 
don’t  know  whether  it  is  Christy  or  not,”  replied 
Sampson. 

“ Is  that  you,  Christy  ? ” asked  Paul. 

“Of  course  it  is,”  replied  the  middy.  “We  are 
wasting  time.” 

“ He  hasn’t  the  word,”  added  the  sentinel. 

“ Pass  him,  Sampson ; he  is  all  right,”  said  the 
engineer ; and  Christy  rushed  up  the  steps,  and 
leaped  down  upon  the  deck  of  the  steamer. 

“ I gave  out  a word  for  all  who  had  to  leave 
the  ship  for  any  purpose  during  the  evening,” 
Paul  explained. 

“ Never  mind  that  now,”  interposed  the  mid- 
shipman in  command.  “ Have  you  plenty  of 
steam  on  ? ” 


THE  APPROACH  OP  THE  VAMPIRE  113 


“ Enough  to  give  her  fifteen  knots,”  replied  the 
engineer.  “ The  cable  is  buoyed,  and  the  long 
gun  loaded.  I believe  everything  is  in  perfect 
order  to  carry  out  your  instructions,  though  we 
did  not  point  the  gun  when  we  loaded  it,  for  I 
thought  you  would  prefer  to  do  that  yourself,”  the 
engineer  reported. 

“ All  right,  Paul,”  added  Christy.  “ The 
steamer,  whose  name  is  the  Vampire,  is  on  her 
way  up  the  river,  and  I should  say  she  would 
reach  the  bend  in  about  half  an  hour.  Mr.  Watts 
is  down  there,  and  I have  arranged  certain  signals 
with  him.” 

The  midshipman  made  a careful  examination 
for  himself  of  the  ship. 


114 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


CHAPTER  X 

A SHOT  FROM  THE  LONG  GUN 

Christy  Passford,  as  soon  as  he  found  that 
all  the  other  preparations  for  the  decisive  event 
had  been  made,  turned  his  attention  to  the  aiming 
of  the  long  gun.  He  had  practised  with  it  some- 
what before  ; and  in  the  ambitious  spirit  of  a boy, 
he  had  often  amused  himself  by  sighting  over  the 
top  of  the  piece. 

There  was  no  sort  of  duty  on  board  of  a vessel, 
even  a war  steamer,  in  which  he  had  not  done  his 
best  to  make  himself  a proficient.  He  had  done 
duty  as  an  engineer,  and  even  as  a fireman.  He 
had  taken  his  trick  at  the  wheel  as  a quarter- 
master, and  there  was  nothing  he  had  not  done,  un- 
less it  was  to  command  a vessel,  and  he  had  done 
that  on  a small  scale.  Doubtless  he  had  no  incon- 
siderable portion  of  a boy’s  vanity,  and  lie  be- 
lieved that  he  could  do  anything  that  anybody 
else  could  do;  or  if  he  was  satisfied  that  he 


A SHOT  FROM  THE  LONG  GUN 


115 


could  not,  he  studied  and  practised  till  he  did 
believe  it. 

Be  it  vanity  or  pride,  Christy  certainly  believed 
in  himself  to  a very  liberal  extent,  though  his 
character  was  fortunately  leavened  with  a large 
lump  of  modesty.  What  he  believed,  he  believed 
for  himself,  and  acted  upon  it  for  himself ; so 
that  he  was  not  inclined  to  boast  of  his  accomplish- 
ments, and  permitted  others  to  find  out  what  he 
was  rather  than  made  it  known  in  words  himself. 
But  his  father  had  found  it  necessary  to  restrain 
him  to  some  extent,  and  he  had  not  pushed  him 
forward  as  rapidly  as  he  might  have  done  till  the 
dread  notes  of  war  were  heard  on  the  land  and  the 
sea ; and  then  he  thought  it  would  be  wrong  to 
hold  him  back. 

When  Christy  sighted  along  the  great  gun,  he 
believed  he  could  hit  the  Vampire  almost  to  a cer- 
tainty ; but  he  was  not  self-sufficient,  and  did  not 
often  believe  that  he  knew  a thing  better  than  any 
other  person,  and  he  was  not  above  taking  the  ad- 
vice and  instruction  of  others.  It  was  dark,  but 
Christy  had  fixed  upon  an  object  at  the  bend 
below,  of  which  he  intended  to  make  use  in  fir- 
ing the  gun.  It  was  a tree  which  painted  its  out- 


116 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


line  on  the  horizon,  and  the  decisive  moment  was 
to  come  when  the  Vampire  was  in  range  with  this 
tree.  He  adjusted  the  gun  just  as  he  wanted  it, 
and  he  was  satisfied  it  would  do  just  what  he  re- 
quired of  it. 

He  was  not  inclined  to  act  on  his  own  judgment 
and  skill  alone,  and  he  called  Boxie,  the  old  sheet- 
anchorman,  who  had  been  the  captain  of  a gun  years 
before  the  midshipman  was  born,  and  pointed  out 
the  tree  to  him,  asking  him  to  sight  along  the  gun. 
He  explained  his  plan  to  the  old  salt,  and  then 
asked  his  opinion. 

“ You  have  aimed  it  too  high,  Mr.  Passford,” 
said  the  veteran,  after  he  had  squinted  a long  time 
along  the  piece. 

“ How  is  it  otherwise  ? ” asked  Christy. 

“ It  is  all  right,  sir ; but  the  shot  will  pass  over 
the  steamer.  Drop  the  muzzle  a trifle,  and  the 
shot  will  hull  her,  if  you  pull  the  lockstring  at  the 
right  time.” 

u I shall  see  that  the  string  is  pulled  at  the  right 
time  ; thank  you,  Boxie,-”  added  Christy,  without 
depressing  the  gun  as  the  old  man  suggested,  for 
he  had  a theory  of  his  own  which  he  intended  to 
carry  out. 


A SHOT  FKOM  THE  LONG  GUN 


117 


“ But  the  ship  may  change  her  position  a trifle,” 
added  Boxie. 

“ Of  course,  I mean  to  sight  the  gun  again  at 
the  very  moment  we  fire,”  replied  Christy,  looking 
at  his  watch,  though  he  was  obliged  to  go  into  the 
engine-room  to  see  what  time  it  was. 

It  was  after  two,  and  the  Vampire  had  had 
time  enough  to  make  the  bend.  Christy  won- 
dered if  Captain  Carboneer  was  not  looking  for  the 
four  men  he  had  promised  to  put  on  board  of  the 
old  steamer ; but  some  promises  are  better  broken 
than  kept,  and  the  midshipman  thought  this  was 
one  of  them,  though  he  did  not  consider  the  pres- 
ent occasion  as  any  excuse  for  lies,  or  the  failure 
to  keep  his  word,  in  the  indefinite  future. 

The  acting  commander  of  the  Belle vite  — for 
such  the  middy  was,  and  no  one  disputed  his 
authority  — began  to  be  very  nervous  at  the  non- 
appearance  of  the  enemy.  He  was  afraid  that 
some  mishap  had  befallen  the  Vampire;  either  that 
she  had  gone  to  the  bottom  or  got  aground,  though 
he  had  heard  Captain  Carboneer  say  that  he  was  a 
pilot  for  this  part  of  the  river. 

Christy  had  mounted  the  gun  carriage  ready  to 
take  his  final  aim,  and  he  had  been  there  at  least 


118 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


half  an  hour.  He  was  watching  the  point  where 
the  Roman  candles  had  been  planted,  and  he  had 
perfect  confidence  in  the  judgment  and  fidelity  of 
Mr.  Watts.  Boxie  was  stationed  at  the  lock- 
string, and  held  it  in  his  hand,  ready  to  speed  the 
great  shot  on  its  errand  of  destruction ; but  he 
hoped  the  midshipman  would  depress  the  muzzle 
of  the  gun  before  he  was  called  upon  to  pull  the 
string.  The  other  sailors  who  had  served  on 
board  of  the  Bellevite,  and  had  been  drilled  in 
handling  the  guns,  were  all  in  their  stations,  ready 
to  load  the  piece  again  as  quickly  as  possible  after 
it  had  been  discharged. 

The  silence  had  become  intense  and  painful  to 
all,  for  apart  from  the  messenger  of  death  and 
devastation  which  was  about  to  be  hurled  at  the 
Vampire,  the  Bellevite  was  in  danger  of  being 
captured,  and  had  a resolute  enemy,  in  front  of 
her.  The  safety  of  the  pet  steamer  depended 
upon  the  skill  and  judgment  of  a mere  boy,  though 
everybody  on  board  had  entire  confidence  in  him. 
But  the  supreme  moment  came  soon  enough. 

A hardly  perceptible  light  at  the  point  he  was 
so  closely  watching,  first  attracted  the  attention  of 
Christy,  — perhaps  the  lighting  of  the  steward’s 


A SHOT  FKOM  THE  LONG  GUN 


119 


match.  An  instant  later,  the  fireworks  blazed  up, 
and  lighted  up  the  smooth  surface  of  the  sleeping 
river.  No  doubt  the  conspirators,  who  had  chosen 
darkness  because  their  deeds  were  evil,  were 
astounded  to  see  so  much  light  suddenly  thrown 
upon  their  enterprise. 

Christy  sprang  to  the  gun,  took  a hasty  sight, 
which  satisfied  him  that  the  position  of  the  gun 
had  not  changed  a particle.  As  the  dark  outline 
of  the  Vampire  passed  in  range  of  the  selected 
tree,  the  midshipman  sprang  down  from  the  gun- 
carriage. 

“ Fire  ! ” shouted  he,  in  a determined  though 
not  very  loud  tone. 

It  was  a tremendous  explosion,  and  the  echoes 
rolled  out  from  the  hills  as  though  they  were 
armed  with  heavy  guns,  and  were  taking  part  in 
the  conflict.  Probably  the  rattling  windows  and 
the  shaking  frames  of  the  houses  roused  all  the 
sleepers  within  a mile  of  the  ship. 

The  Belle vite  was  enveloped  in  the  smoke  from 
the  discharge,  and  though  Christy  mounted  the 
carriage  again  to  obtain  a better  view,  he  could 
see  nothing,  for  there  was  not  wind  enough  to 
sweep  it  away  at  once.  But  the  young  com- 


120 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


mander  watched,  with  almost  as  much  interest  and 
anxiety  as  before,  the  signal  station  he  had  estab- 
lished. But  there  was  no  occasion  for  desperate 
haste,  for  the  gun  was  ready  for  use  a second  time 
if  the  first  shot  had  failed  to  do  its  work.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  the  Vampire  was  disabled,  she  would 
stay  where  she  was,  or  drift  down  the  river  with 
the  turn  of  the  tide,  and  it  was  just  about  64  full 
sea  ” at  this  time. 

The  smoke  was  very  aggravating  to  the  mid- 
shipman, but  he  could  not  help  himself.  The 
light  air  swept  it  away  in  time,  and,  with  his 
strained  eyes,  Christy  discovered  that  two  Roman 
candles  were  burning  at  the  signal  station. 

44  Did  you  hit  her,  Christy  ? ” asked  Paul 
Vapoor,  leaping  on  the  gun-carriage. 

64 1 did,”  replied  the  midshipman,  trying  to  con- 
trol a certain  feeling  of  exultation  that  took  posses- 
sion of  his  mind,  for  he  did  not  consider  that  some  of 
the  party  below  might  have  been  killed  by  the  shot. 

44 1 suppose  you  don’t  know  anything  about  the 
effect  of  the  shot  yet?  ” added  Paul. 

44 1 only  know  that  the  Vampire  is  disabled.” 

44  How  do  you  know  that,  for  I can’t  see  any- 
thing?” 


“Christy  sprang  to  the  Gun.”  — Page  119, 


A SHOT  FROM  THE  LONG  GUN 


121 


“ Do  you  see  those  two  blue  lights  burning  at 
the  side  of  the  river  ? ” asked  Christy,  as  he 
pointed  to  the  place. 

“ I see  them,  and  they  light  up  the  river  like  a 
flash  of  lightning.” 

“ They  mean  that  the  steamer  is  disabled ; and 
for  that  reason  she  can’t  come  any  nearer  than  she 
is  now.” 

“But  those  villains  will  make  their  way  to  the 
shore,  and  there  are  boats  enough  about  here  to 
enable  them  to  get  alongside,  and  lay  us  aboard. 
This  is  not  the  end  of  the  affair,”  said  the  engineer, 
very  seriously. 

u Decidedly  not ; but  I hope  to  have  further 
information  in  the  course  of  a few  minutes,” 
replied  Christy. 

“ Bellevite,  ahoy  ! ” shouted  some  one  on  shore. 

“ That  is  Mr.  Watts  ; send  Sampson  on  shore 
after  him,  and  we  shall  soon  know  the  condition 
of  affairs  on  board  of  the  Vampire,”  added  the 
midshipman.  “ I told  the  steward  to  ride  up  as 
fast  as  he  could  after  he  had  satisfied  himself  that 
the  steamer  was  disabled.” 

Sampson  was  gone  but  a few  minutes,  during 
which  time  Christy  and  Paul  consulted  in  regard 


122 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


to  the  next  step  to  be  taken,  and  the  question  was 
promptly  decided.  The  boat  in  which  Sampson 
had  gone  to  the  shore  returned  not  only  with  the 
steward,  but  also  with  Mrs.  Passford  and  Miss 
Florry. 

“ What  does  this  mean,  mother  ? ” asked  Christy, 
astonished  to  see  his  mother  and  sister  come  on 
board. 

“ It  means  that  we  were  alarmed,  and  could  not 
stay  in  the  house  any  longer,”  said  Florry,  taking 
it  upon  herself  to  answer. 

“ Your  father  has  not  come  home  yet,  Christy, 
and  I don’t  think  he  will  come  to-night,  for  he 
said  he  might  not  be  able  to  return  in  the  last 
train,”  added  Mrs.  Passford.  “We  came  down  to 
the  shore  with  two  of  the  men,  and  saw  Mr.  Watts 
when  he  arrived  on  the  horse.” 

“And  I shall  take  the  responsibility  of  having 
advised  the  ladies  to  go  on  board  of  the  Bellevite,” 
interposed  the  steward. 

“ But  you  have  not  reported  upon  the  condition 
of  the  enemy  after  the  shot  hit  the  Vampire,  Mr. 
Watts,”  said  Christy,  impatiently. 

“ The  shot  struck  her  walking-beam,  smashed 
it  all  to  pieces,  and  cleaned  it  off  completely.  Of 


A SHOT  FROM  THE  LONG  GUN 


123 


course,  that  disabled  her.  Very  likely  some  of 
the  party  on  board  of  the  Vampire  are  hurt,  for 
the  pieces  did  not  all  drop  into  the  water.” 

“Now,  in  regard  to  the  ladies  ? ” suggested  the 
midshipman. 

“It  is  for  you  to  decide,  Mr.  Passford,  whether 
or  not  the  enemy  are  likely  to  renew  the  attempt 
to  capture  the  steamer.  But  it  seemed  to  me, 
whether  they  do  anything  more  or  not,  it  is  not 
quite  safe  for  the  ladies  to  be  alone  in  the  house 
with  the  servants,  for  these  fellows  will  be  prowl- 
ing about  here  in  either  case.” 

“ I would  not  stay  in  the  house  for  all  the 
world  ! ” protested  Miss  Florry  ; and  probably  she 
thought  that  one  of  the  prowlers  would  be  Major 
Pierson. 

“ You  are  quite  right,  Mr.  Watts  ; I was  not  as 
thoughtful  as  you  were,”  replied  Christy,  who 
took  in  the  situation  with  this  suggestion.  “ What 
were  they  doing  on  board  of  the  Vampire,  Mr. 
Watts  ? ” 

“ I did  not  wait  to  observe  their  movements,  but 
the  boat  began  to  drift  down  the  river.” 

“ Beg  pardon,  Mr.  Passford,  but  the  ship  is 
swinging  around,  and  you  will  not  be  able  to  use 


124  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 

that  gun  as  it  points  now,”  said  Boxie,  touching 
his  hat  to  the  young  commander. 

“ Stand  by  your  engine,  Paul ; we  will  get 
under  way  at  once.  Boxie,  cast  off  the  cable,  and 
let  it  run  out.  You  buoyed  it,  did  you  not  ? ” said 
Christy,  with  a sudden  renewal  of  energy,  as  he 
hastened  to  the  pilot-house,  where  Beeks  and 
Thayer  had  been  sent  before. 

“ I buoyed  the  cable,  sir,”  replied  the  sheet- 
anchorman. 

“ Then  cast  it  off.  Sampson,  open  the  cabin 
for  the  ladies,”  added  Christy,  as  he  disappeared 
in  the  pilot-house. 

But  the  ladies  preferred  to  go  into  the  engine- 


room. 


THE  BATTLE  ALONGSIDE  THE  BELLEVITE  125 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  BATTLE  ALONGSIDE  THE  BELLEVITE 

The  signal  lights  at  the  bend  of  the  river  had 
burned  out,  and  nothing  could  be  seen  in  that 
direction.  The  turn  of  the  tide  had  carried  the 
wreck  of  the  Vampire,  if  she  was  a wreck,  down 
the  stream,  and  beyond  what  the  steward  had  re- 
ported, nothing  was  known  in  regard  to  her.  Mr. 
Watts  possessed  himself  of  the  single  fact  that 
her  walking-beam  had  been  carried  away  by  the 
shot,  and  he  had  not  waited  to  ascertain  anything 
more.  She  was  disabled,  and  he  had  been  in- 
structed to  hasten  up  the  river  as  soon  as  he  had 
assured  himself  of  this  fact,  and  made  the  signal. 

As  the  extent  of  the  calamity  to  the  enemy  was 
unknown,  the  young  commander  began  to  have 
some  painful  doubts  in  regard  to  the  immediate 
future.  He  had  given  the  order  to  slip  the  cable, 
and  he  could  hear  the  rattle  of  the  chain  as  it 
passed  out  through  the  hawse-hole.  It  was  evi- 


126 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


dent  enough  to  him  that  he  had  to  run  the  gant- 
let of  the  party  on  board  of  the  Vampire  in 
descending  the  river.  As  the  shot  had  hit  the 
walking-beam  of  the  steamer,  it  was  not  probable 
that  she  was  seriously  injured  in  her  hull,  if  at 
all. 

Some  of  the  enemy  had  doubtless  been  hurt 
by  the  fall  of  the  pieces  of  machinery,  but  Christy 
could  not  believe  that  the  conspirators  were  dis- 
abled, as  the  vessel  was.  The  enemy  might 
make  an  attempt  to  board  the  Bellevite  as  she 
passed  down  the  river,  for  the  accident  must 
have  rendered  the  party  more  desperate  than 
before.  In  the  face  of  a failure  to  capture  the 
Bellevite  at  her  anchorage,  which  had  seemed  so 
easy  a matter  to  the  leaders  of  the  expedition, 
they  would  be  ready  to  take  any  chances  of  suc- 
cess that  came  in  their  way. 

“ Cable  all  out,  sir,”  reported  Boxie. 

Not  without  some  heavy  doubts,  Christy  rang 
the  bell  to  go  ahead.  He  had  no  one  in  the  pilot- 
house with  whom  he  could  consult  except  the  two 
quartermasters,  for  Paul  was  in  charge  of  the 
engine,  and  he  could  no  more  leave  it  than  the 
midshipman  could  leave  the  wheel.  The  propeller 


THE  BATTLE  ALONGSIDE  THE  BELLEYITE  127 


began  to  turn,  and  the  ship  gathered  headway. 
To  add  to  the  responsibility  of  the  young  com- 
mander, his  mother  and  sister  had  just  come  on 
board,  and  were  now  seated  on  the  sofa  in  the 
engine-room. 

The  Bellevite  was  moving  down  the  river,  and 
the  only  thing  Christy  could  do  was  to  brace  him- 
self up  to  meet  whatever  might  happen  on  the 
trip.  He  did  this  at  once,  and  a moment  later  he 
rang  to  go  ahead  at  full  speed.  He  was  approach- 
ing the  bend  of  the  river,  and  in  a minute  or  two 
more  he  would  be  able  to  see  the  Vampire.  But 
Captain  Carboneer  could  no  more  see  through  the 
headland  at  the  bend  than  he  could,  and  he  hoped 
that  the  leader  of  the  enemy  had  not  yet  dis- 
covered that  the  Bellevite  was  under  way. 

The  steamer  increased  her  speed  on  the  instant 
in  response  to  the  signal,  and  she  rushed  forward 
at  a velocity  that  would  be  fatal  to  the  Vampire  if 
she  happened  to  be  in  her  path.  But  Christy  was 
not  disposed  to  make  an  issue  with  the  enemy 
when  they  met ; he  intended  to  defend  the  Belle- 
vite, if  she  was  attacked,  to  the  extent  of  his  abil- 
ity and  small  force. 

“ There  she  is  ! ” exclaimed  Beeks,  as  the  Belle- 


128 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


vite  began  to  change  her  course  to  go  around  the 
bend. 

Christy  saw  the  Vampire  as  soon  as  the  quarter- 
master, and  he  was  glad  to  find  that  she  had 
drifted  to  the  left  bank  of  the  river  as  far  as  the 
depth  of  water  would  permit.  As  her  engine  was 
disabled,  she  had  no  means  of  propulsion  with 
which  she  could  help  herself.  It  was  not  im- 
probable that  she  was  aground.  She  was  not 
armed  with  a single  heavy  gun,  or  with  any  gun, 
and  she  was  entirely  harmless. 

Christy  breathed  more  freely  when  he  realized 
the  situation  of  the  Vampire.  Probably  she  was 
provided  with  one  or  more  boats,  and  it  was  possi- 
ble that  Captain  Carboneer  might  attempt  to  board 
the  Bellevite  as  soon  as  he  discovered  her.  The 
deck  of  the  steam-yacht  was  not  very  far  above  the 
water,  and  if  a boat  full  of  desperate  men  could 
get  alongside  of  the  ship,  it  would  not  be  a very 
difficult  matter  for  them  to  mount  the  side. 

uPort  a little,”  said  Christy  to  the  quarter- 
masters at  the  wheel.  “ Keep  her  well  over  to  the 
west  shore.  Steady.” 

A moment  later  the  steamer  had  her  course  for 
passing  the  Vampire,  and  Christy  left  the  pilot- 


THE  BATTLE  ALONGSIDE  THE  BELLE VI TE  129 


house  to  obtain  a better  view  of  the  situation  and 
movements  of  the  enemy.  It  was  not  so  dark  as 
to  prevent  him  from  seeing  all  that  was  going  on 
upon  her  deck,  for  the  Bellevite  had  to  pass  with- 
in pistol-shot  of  her  to  avoid  getting  aground  on 
the  edge  of  the  channel. 

Sampson  and  the  rest  of  the  old  ship’s  company 
gathered  near  him,  where  they  could  see  over  the 
rail.  The  oiler,  as  Paul  Yapoor  had  instructed 
him  to  do,  had  armed  all  these  men  with  a cutlass 
and  a revolver,  and  very  likely  some  or  all  of  them 
would  have  been  glad  to  make  use  of  them. 

“ They  are  loading  into  a boat  on  the  port  side 
of  the  Vampire,  sir,  and  it  looks  as  though  they 
intended  to  do  something  without  delay,”  said 
Sampson ; and,  as  the  steamer  had  come  about 
since  she  was  disabled,  this  was  the  side  nearest  to 
the  shore. 

“ I see  that  they  are  hurrying  some  movement 
with  all  their  might,”  replied  the  midshipman, 
watching  with  the  most  intense  interest  the  opera- 
tions of  the  enemy.  “ Sampson,  get  out  half  a 
dozen  sixty-pound,  solid  shot,  and  put  them  on 
the  plankshear,  twenty  feet  apart.  Take  all  hands 
with  you,  and  hurry  up.” 


130 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


The  oiler  asked  no  questions,  though  he  might 
have  been  excused  for  wondering  what  the  young 
commander  intended  to  do  with  shot  without  pow- 
der. In  a few  minutes  the  shot  were  in  place,  as 
Christy  had  directed.  The  midshipman  was  watch- 
ing with  all  his  eyes  the  movement  of  the  enemy, 
and,  as  the  Belle vite  approached  the  position  of 
the  wreck,  the  boat  darted  out  from  the  other  side 
of  her.  It  began  to  be  exciting  for  the  middy, 
loaded  with  the  responsibility  of  the  safety  of  the 
steamer,  though  he  seemed  to  be  as  cool  as  Boxie 
himself,  who  had  seen  some  sea  fights  in  his  day. 

Christy  leaped  on  the  rail  of  the  ship,  where  he 
could  obtain  a full  view  of  the  situation.  The 
boat  was  approaching  with  all  the  speed  the  oars- 
men could  command,  and  they  seemed  to  be  expe- 
rienced hands.  There  could  be  no  doubt  of  the 
intentions  of  the  enemy,  and  the  midshipman  drew 
his  heavy  naval  revolver  from  his  pocket. 

“ Stand  by  to  repel  boarders ! ” he  called  to  the 
seamen.  “ Pass  up  one  of  those  shot,  Sampson. 
Have  a hand  mount  the  rail,  each  with  a shot,  at 
the  points  where  you  have  placed  them.” 

“ The  ladies  wish  to  know  what  is  going  on, 
Christy,”  said  Paul,  coming  from  the  engine-room. 


THE  BATTLE  ALONGSIDE  THE  BELLEVITE  131 


“ I have  no  time  to  talk  now,”  replied  Christy 
impatiently,  as  he  saw  the  approaching  boat 
within  ten  feet  of  the  side  of  the  steamer.  uTell 
them  to  stay  where  they  are,  and  not  come  on 
deck  ! ” 

The  boat  was  not  a large  one,  and  it  did  not 
contain  more  than  a dozen  men ; but  the  fine  form 
of  Captain  Carboneer  could  be  seen,  as  he  stood 
up  in  the  stern  sheets.  Those  who  were  not  pull- 
ing the  oars  began  to  discharge  revolvers  at  the 
men  now  mounted  on  the  rail ; but  the  motion  of 
the  boat  and  the  ship  seemed  to  defeat  their  aim, 
and  no  one  was  hit  so  far  as  was  known. 

“ When  the  boat  comes  alongside,  let  the  man 
who  is  in  the  right  place  for  it  drop  his  shot  into 
it.  Be  careful  of  it,  and  don’t  waste  the  iron,” 
shouted  Christy,  when  the  decisive  moment  came. 

u All  ready,  sir,”  responded  the  men  along  the 
rail. 

“ You  are  the  man,  Boxie ! You  are  in  the 
right  place  for  the  first  shot,”  added  the  midship- 
man. 

Boxie  was  next  to  him,  and  it  would  be 
Christy’s  turn  next  if  the  old  man  failed  to  do 
good  work  with  his  shot.  The  boat  came  along- 


132 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


side,  and  a bowman  fastened  his  boathook  at  the 
side  of  the  ship,  and  held  it  in  place.  At  the  same 
moment  Boxie  let  drive  his  sixty-pound  shot;  but 
he  ought  to  have  waited  an  instant  longer,  for  the 
missile  dropped  harmlessly  into  the  river. 

The  bowman  had  not  obtained  a good  hold,  and 
he  lost  it,  so  that  the  boat  began  to  drift  astern. 
Captain  Carboneer  shouted  his  orders,  and  the  man 
got  a new  hold,  and  this  time  it  was  at  the  painter 
of  the  boat  in  which  Sampson  had  brought  off  Mr. 
Watts  and  the  ladies.  It  had  been  forgotten  in 
the  excitement  of  the  moment,  but  the  rope 
afforded  a good  hold  to  several  men  who  had 
grasped  it. 

At  this  thrilling  moment,  a man  wearing  a 
frock-coat  discharged  a revolver  at  Christy,  who 
was  standing  on  the  rail  above  him,  and  then, 
seizing  the  painter  in  the  hands  of  the  men,  he 
climbed  briskly  to  the  accommodation  steps, 
which  had  been  hoisted  up,  but  not  taken  on  board. 

Christy  was  in  the  most  dangerous  position  on 
board,  for  he  seemed  to  be  the  target  for  all  who 
could  use  their  revolvers.  But  the  young  com- 
mander was  not  asleep,  though  he  had  given  no 
order  for  the  last  minute  or  two.  The  boat  was 


THE  BATTLE  ALONGSIDE  THE  BELLEV1TE  133 


directly  under  him,  and  he  had  put  his  pistol  in 
his  hip-pocket,  in  order  to  take  up  the  solid  shot  at 
his  feet.  It  was  heavy,  but  he  lifted  it  over  his 
head  without  any  difficulty,  and  launched  it  into 
the  boat  with  all  the  force  he  could  give  to  it. 

“ On  deck,  there  ! Let  go  that  painter ! ” 
shouted  Christy,  as  he  pitched  his  missile  from 
his  hands. 

He  was  in  a position  so  favorable  for  the  opera- 
tion that  he  could  not  well  miss  his  aim,  and  the 
shot  crashed  through  the  bottom  of  the  boat, 
carrying  down  one  of  the  enemy  with  it.  It  did 
not  make  a round  hole  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat, 
it  was  afterwards  ascertained,  as  it  might  if  it  had 
been  fired  from  one  of  the  broadside  guns,  but  it 
tore  off  the  planking,  and  made  a hole  as  big  as 
the  head  of  a flour-barrel. 

“ Lay  hold  of  that  man  on  the  accommodation 
ladder ! ” shouted  Christy,  without  waiting  to 
observe  the  effect  of  his  shot,  for  the  man  who 
had  succeeded  in  mounting  the  side  was  armed 
with  a dangerous  weapon,  which  he  was  likely  to 
use  as  soon  as  he  found  the  opportunity. 

The  men  forward  of  the  point  where  the  boat 
had  come  alongside  had  been  ordered  aft,  and  a 


134  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 

couple  of  them  dragged  the  venturesome  officer, 
as  his  frock-coat  indicated  that  he  was,  to  the 
deck.  Christy  was  almost  sure  this  man  was 
Haslett,  who  had  certainly  set  a bold  example  to 
his  companions  in  the  boat.  He  was  quickly 
secured,  and  by  no  gentle  hands.  His  hands  were 
tied  behind  him,  and  he  was  made  fast  to  the  rail, 
where  he  was  likely  to  be  harmless  during  the  rest 
of  the  trip. 

It  was  no  easy  matter  for  a boat  to  make  fast  to 
a steamer  going  ten  knots  an  hour  at  least,  and  if 
the  painter  of  the  boat  liad  not  been  Carelessly  left 
where  it  could  be  of  service  to  the  assailants,  the 
affair  would  have  ended  with  Boxie’s  unsuccessful 
cast  of  the  shot.  But  as  soon  as  the  painter  was 
let  go,  an  order  which  Sampson  hastened  to  exe- 
cute, the  enemy’s  hold  upon  the  ship  was  lost, 
though  they  were  using  boathooks  and  other  im- 
plements to  make  sure  of  their  grasp.  The  boat 
was  left  behind  by  the  ship,  though  not  till  the 
hole  had  been  stove  in  her  bottom. 

“ Beg  pardon,  Mr.  Passford,  for  missing  my 
heave  with  the  shot,”  said  Boxie,  on  the  deck ; and 
the  veteran’s  heart  seemed  to  be  almost  broken  by 
his  failure. 


THE  BATTLE  ALONGSIDE  THE  BELLEVITE  185 


“You  are  very  excusable,  Boxie ; one  can’t 
expect  to  hit  every  time,  and  you  did  very  well,” 
replied  Christy,  who  had  suddenly  passed  from 
painful  doubt  and  uncertainty  to  exultation  and 
exaltation  at  the  victory  achieved.  “We  are  all 
right  now.” 

“ But  the  enemy  are  not,”  added  Sampson,  who 
had  mounted  the  rail  after  he  had  secured  the 
prisoner.  “ They  are  all  afloat.” 

“ They  will  get  ashore  in  some  way,  or  back  to 
the  Vampire,”  replied  Christy,  and  he  descended 
to  the  deck,  and  hastened  to  the  engine-room. 


136 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  PRISONER  OF  WAR 

“What  in  the  world  have  you  been  doing, 
Christy  ? ” asked  Mrs.  Passford,  as  her  son  entered 
the  engine-room  ; and  her  anxiety  was  visible  in 
her  tones  and  looks  as  she  spoke. 

“ We  have  been  repelling  boarders,  mother,” 
replied  the  middy,  his  face  wreathed  in  smiles. 

“ What  do  you  mean  by  that,  my  son  ? ” in- 
quired his  mother. 

44  Well,  mother,  you  are  the  daughter  of  a dis- 
tinguished naval  officer,  and  it  seems  to  me  you 
must  understand  what  repelling  boarders  means,” 
answered  the  young  commander,  laughing  merrily ; 
and  no  one  in  the  engine-room  could  fail  to  see 
that  he  was  in  the  highest  state  of  exhilaration, 
now  that  the  safety  of  the  ship  had  been  assured. 

44  Of  course,  I know  what  it  means,”  added  the 
lady. 

44  And  I don’t  mean  boarders  at  the  hotel,  who 


THE  PRISONER  OF  WAR 


137 


are  repelled  by  strong  butter  and  tough  steaks,” 
chuckled  Christy. 

44  I wish  you  would  explain  yourself,  my  son.” 

44  I will,  mother  mine.  The  fellows  we  fired  at 
when  we  were  at  anchor  have  just  attempted  to 
board  the  Bellevite,  and  thus  obtain  possession  of 
her,  as  they  failed  to  do  in  Mobile  Bay,  as  well  as 
at  our  anchorage  in  the  Hudson.”  And  he  pro- 
ceeded to  explain  in  detail  all  that  had  occurred 
on  board  and  alongside. 

44  My  dear  boy,  I had  no  idea  that  you  had  been 
engaged  in  a battle ! ” exclaimed  the  fond  mother. 

44  It  wasn’t  much  of  a battle,  though  a good 
many  pistol-shots  were  fired  at  us ; but  a sixty- 
pound  shot  did  the  business  on  our  side,  and  we 
left  the  enemy,  or  a portion  of  them,  paddling  in 
the  river,  and  trying  to  keep  their  heads  above 
water.  But  I must  not  stay  here,  for  I have  to 
look  out  for  the  steering  of  the  ship,”  continued 
Christy,  as  he  moved  towards  the  door. 

“You  whipped  them  out,  did  you,  midship- 
man ? ” added  the  engineer. 

“We  did;  and  there  isn’t  any  doubt  of  it.  I 
shouldn’t  wonder  if  some  of  them  had  lost  the 
number  of  their  mess.  But  I think  it  is  settled 


138  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES. 

for  the  present  that  Captain  Carboneer  don’t  go  to 
sea  in  the  Bellevite.  By  the  way,  I had  forgotten 
that  we  took  a prisoner,  and  perhaps  he  will  be 
willing  to  tell  us  something  more  about  his  enter- 
prise.” 

“ Who  is  the  prisoner  ? ” asked  Mrs.  Passford. 

“ He  is  an  officer,  I judge,  for  he  wore  a frock- 
coat.” 

9 

“ The  party  could  not  have  had  a great  many 
officers.  It  was  not  the  captain,  was  it?  ” 

“ No  ; I am  sure  it  is  not  he.  I think  it  must 
be  the  naval  officer  whom  Captain  Carboneer 
called  Haslett ; but  I have  not  seen  him  except  as 
he  was  shinning  up  the  painter  of  the  boat.  You 
can  go  on  deck  if  you  like,  mother  and  Florry,  or 
you  may  come  with  me  into  the  pilot-house,” 
added  Christy. 

The  engineer  had  to  remain  on  duty,  and  Miss 
Florry  mildly  objected  to  leaving  her  present  com- 
fortable position  on  the  sofa  of  the  engine-room ; 
but  as  her  mother  wished  to  go  with  her  brother, 
she  felt  obliged  to  go  with  her. 

Christy  gave  his  mother  and  sister  places  on  the 
sofa  abaft  of  the  wheel,  and  then  looked  into  the 
position  of  the  steamer.  But  the  two  quartermas- 


THE  PRISONER  OF  WAR 


139 


ters  had  so  often  steered  the  steamer  up  and  down 
the  river  that  they  had  done  very  well,  and  there 
was  no  especial  need  of  the  midshipman  as  a pilot. 
The  Bellevite  was  not  going  at  anything  like  her 
best  speed,  or  at  her  usual  rate  at  sea.  As  she 
was  going,  it  was  about  a four-hours’  run  to  New 
York,  and  Christy  was  not  in  a hurry  to  get  to  his 
destination. 

“ Beeks,  we  have  a prisoner,  and  I should  like 
to  take  his  measure,”  said  Christy  to  the  senior 
quartermaster.  “ You  may  go  aft  and  ask  Samp- 
son to  bring  him  into  the  pilot-house.” 

“ Bring  him  into  the  pilot-house,”  repeated  the 
man,  as  he  left  the  apartment. 

“ What  are  you  going  to  do  with  your  prisoner, 
Christy  ? ” asked  Mrs.  Passford. 

u I shall  hand  him  over  to  the  proper  officers,  and 
they  can  do  what  they  please  with  him,”  replied  the 
piiddy.  u I don’t  want  him : do  you,  mother  ? ” 

“ What  should  I want  of  him?  ” 
u Perhaps  you  want  him,  Florry  ? ” asked 
Christy  of  his  sister. 

“ I am  sure  I don’t,”  she  replied,  pouting. 

“ Perhaps  you  will  want  him  when  you  have 
seen  him,”  added  the  middy  roguishly. 


140 


WITHLN  THE  ENEMYS  LINES 


At  this  moment  Sampson  appeared  at  the  door 
of  the  pilot-house,  conducting  his  prisoner,  whose 
hands  were  still  tied  behind  him.  Christy  did  not 
see  him  at  first,  for  he  was  looking  at  his  sister ; 
but  her  pretty  face  suddenly  turned  crimson,  and 
her  brother  heard  the  sound  of  footsteps  in  the 
apartment. 

As  soon  as  he  saw  the  prisoner,  he  started 
back  in  astonishment,  though  perhaps  there  was 
no  particular  reason  to  be  surprised.  It  was  not 
Mr.  Haslett,  as  he  had  supposed,  and  it  certainly 
was  not  Captain  Carboneer.  But  it  was  Major 
Bindley  Pierson,  late  commandant  of  Fort  Gaines. 
Christy  had  not  expected  to  meet  him,  and  that 
was  the  only  reason  why  he  was  astonished. 

“ Major  Pierson  ! ” exclaimed  the  midshipman, 
as  soon  as  he  had  in  some  degree  recovered  from 
his  astonishment.  “ I believe  we  have  met  before 
somewhere.” 

u Without  a doubt  we  have,  Captain  Passford,” 
replied  the  major,  who  no  longer  belonged  to  the 
Mulgate  family. 

“ Not  a captain,  if  you  please ; but  I am  none 
the  less  glad  to  see  you  on  that  account.  This  is 
really  a very  unexpected  pleasure.” 


THE  PRISONER  OF  WAR. 


141 


“ And  quite  as  unexpected  to  me,  I assure 
you,  especially  to  meet  the  ladies,”  added  the 
prisoner  as  he  bowed  low  to  Mrs.  Passford  and 
her  daughter.  “ I had  hoped  I might  meet 
Mrs.  and  Miss  Passford  before  I returned  to  the 
South.” 

“ And  you  had  even  hoped  to  take  one  of  them 
back  with  you  as  a passenger  in  the  Bellevite,” 
Christy  interpolated,  with  great  good  nature. 

Major  Pierson  looked  at  him  with  a start,  and  it 
was  his  turn  to  be  astonished.  He  was  a prisoner, 
but  he  had  the  privilege  of  wondering  how  Christy 
knew  so  much  about  his  affairs. 

“ Captain  Carboneer  is  a very  obstinate  man, 
and  did  not  take  kindly  to  the  carrying  of  lady 
passengers  in  a man-of-war ; but  I think  he  was 
right,  though  my  view  may  be  of  no  consequence 
to  you,”  added  the  young  officer.  “ I have  the 
highest  opinion  of  Captain  Carboneer,  for  he  is  a 
solid,  substantial  man.  By  the  way,  Major  Pier- 
son, who  is  he  ? ” 

“ He  is  Captain  Carboneer,”  replied  the  major 
discreetly. 

“ Perhaps  he  is  Captain  Carboneer ; I don’t 
know  : things  are  not  always  what  they  seem,  and 


142 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


I find  that  persons  are  not,  either.  Hasn’t  that 
been  your  experience,  Mr.  Mulgate  — I beg  your 
pardon,  Major  Pierson  ? ” 

The  prisoner  frowned,  and  gave  a fierce  glance 
at  the  midshipman,  as  though  he  felt  like  annihi- 
lating him  with  a look.  But  he  evidently  con- 
sidered just  then  that  he  was  in  the  presence  of 
the  ladies,  and  perhaps  that  the  flash  of  his  eagle 
eye  would  not  kill  his  tormentor,  as  the  young 
man  seemed  to  have  become. 

“ I am  your  prisoner,  or  somebody’s  prisoner, 
Captain  Passford , and  the  tables  are  turned 
against  me.  Of  course,  you  don’t  expect  me  to 
give  information  that  will  be  of  use  to  the  enemies 
of  my  country.” 

“ Of  course  not." 

“ When  you  were  my  prisoner,  I think  I treated 
you  like  a gentleman,”  added  Major  Pierson. 

“ I think  you  did,  sir ; and  that  reminds  me 
that  your  hands  are  tied  behind  you.  You  were 
so  kind  as  to  release  me  from  my  bonds  when  I 
was  in  your  power  ” — 

“ And  it  was  the  stupidest  thing  I ever  did  in 
my  life,”  interposed  the  prisoner,  with  some  bitter- 


ness. 


THE  PRISONER  OF  WAR 


143 


“ I am  not  familiar  with  the  events  of  your  life, 
and  I cannot  gainsay  your  remark.” 

uYou  did  not  scruple  to  turn  our  own  guns 
against  us.” 

“ As  you  would  have  done  if  you  had  succeeded 
in  capturing  the  Bellevite,”  added  Christy, 
smartly.  “ This  time  makes  twice  that  you  did 
not  capture  her.” 

“ The  third  time  may  not  fail.” 

“ It  may  not ; but  I must  be  as  magnanimous 
as  you  were.  Sampson,  release  the  gentleman.” 

“ Thank  you,  Captain  Passford ; that  is  no 
more  than  I did  for  you  when  you  were  in  the 
same  situation.” 

“ But  I suppose  you  will  not  undertake  to  cap- 
ture this  ship  after  I have  done  as  well  by  you  as 
you  did  by  me.  I intend  to  treat  you  like  a gen- 
tleman, though  the  fortunes  of  war  are  against  you. 
Now,  perhaps  you  will  not  object  to  answering  a 
question  or  two,  in  which  there  can  be  no  treason.” 
“I  must  be  my  own  judge  of  the  questions,” 
replied  the  major,  rather  haughtily. 

u Certainly,  sir ; and  I shall  not  insist  upon 
your  answering  any  question.  Was  any  one  on 
board  of  the  Vampire  killed  in  this  affair?  ” 


144 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


u No  one  was  killed.” 

“Were  any  wounded  ? ” 

“ I am  sorry  to  say  that  three  were  injured  by 
the  falling  of  the  pieces  of  the  walking-beam.” 

“ Seriously  ? ” 

“ Two  slightly,  and  one  severely.” 

“ Thank  you,  major.” 

u Of  course,  I am  not  informed  of  the  fate  of 
those  in  the  boat  when  it  was  sunk,”  added  the 
prisoner. 

“ I think  no  one  was  badly  hurt  in  that  part  of 
the  affair,”  said  Christy. 

“ Perhaps  it  will  be  of  interest  to  you  to  know 
that  Private  Passford,*  formerly  of  my  command, 
was  the  one  who  was  severely  wounded  on  board 
of  the  Vampire.” 

“ Corny  ! ” exclaimed  Mrs.  Passford. 

“ I am  sorry  to  say  that  he  was  struck  on  the 
shoulder  by  a fragment  of  the  machinery,”  replied 
the  major,  very  politely,  as  he  bowed  low  to  the 
lady. 

“ Poor  Corny ! ” ejaculated  Miss  Florry.  “ Is 
he  very  badly  wounded,  Major  Pierson?” 

“ I do  not  know  how  seriously,  but  I am  afraid 
he  cannot  use  that  shoulder  for  a long  time,” 


THE  PRISONER  OF  WAR 


145 


replied  the  prisoner,  fixing  a look  of  admiration 
upon  her,  as  if  he  were  glad  to  have  the  privilege 
of  looking  at  her  without  causing  any  remark. 

“ I am  so  sorry  for  him.  Corny  was  always 
real  good  to  me  when  I have  been  at  Glenfield,” 
added  the  fair  girl,  and  she  actually  shed  some 
sympathetic  tears  as  she  thought  of  his  wounded 
shoulder.  “ Can  we  not  do  something  for  him, 
mother?  ” 

“ I shall  be  very  glad  to  have  him  removed  to 
the  house,  and  I will  take  care  of  him  till  he  gets 
well.  I don’t  know  whether  this  can  be  done  or 
not.  Perhaps  Major  Pierson  can  inform  me.” 

“ If  your  kind  hearts  prompt  you  to  do  this  for 
one  who  is  in  arms  against  the  government,  I have 
no  doubt  it  can  be  managed.  He  can  give  his 
parole,  and  that  will  make  it  all  right.” 

“ He  is  my  nephew,  and  I would  do  as  much  for 
him  as  I would  for  my  own  son,”  replied  Mrs. 
Passford  heartily. 

“ And  I as  much  as  I would  for  my  brother,” 
added  Miss  Florry. 

Everything  was  pleasant  so  far,  though  all  the 
Passfords  were  worried  about  poor  Corny,  who 
had  been  with  the  ladies  only  the  evening  before. 


146 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


CHAPTER  XIII 

AFTER  THE  BATTLE 

It  was  six  o’clock  in  the  morning  when  the 
Bellevite  let  go  her  anchor  off  Twentieth  Street, 
as  the  young  commander  decided  to  do  after  some 
consultation  with  Paul  Vapoor,  who  was  his  senior 
in  years  if  not  in  wisdom.  He  did  not  suppose 
the  steamer  would  be  allowed  to  anchor  at  the 
Navy  Yard  without  orders  to  that  effect.  His 
father  had  not  returned  from  the  city.  Though 
he  held  no  office,  Captain  Passford  was  as  busy 
with  public  affairs  as  though  he  had  been  the 
collector  of  the  port. 

No  one  but  the  ladies  had  slept  any  during  the 
trip  ; but  they  had  been  on  deck  some  time  when 
the  steamer  anchored.  Christy  had  been  very 
much  in  doubt  as  to  what  he  should  do  with  the 
Bellevite  when  he  reached  his  destination,  and  he 
was  glad  to  see  his  mother  when  she  came  out  of 
the  cabin.  Though  he  was  still  hardly  more  than 


AFTER  THE  BATTLE 


147 


a boy,  he  believed  in  his  mother,  and  it  had  not 
yet  occurred  to  him  that  he  knew  more  than  she 
did.  He  stated  his  difficulty  to  her,  for  Paul  had 
been  as  much  in  doubt  as  the  midshipman. 

“ I think  it  is  a very  easy  question  to  answer, 
Christy,”  replied  Mrs.  Passford,  with  a smile. 
“ Where  have  you  anchored  ? ” 

“ Off  Union  Square,  or  very  near  it,  I should 
think,”  replied  Christy. 

“ You  know  that  your  father  stays  at  the  St. 
James  Hotel  when  he  is  in  the  city,”  she  added. 
“ The  only  thing  you  can  do  is  to  find  him,  and 
let  him  decide  what  is  to  be  done  with  the  Belle- 
vite.” 

“ I did  not  think  of  that,”  added  the  midship- 
man. “ I will  get  out  a boat  at  mce,  and  go  on 
shore.” 

“ Florry  and  I will  go  with  y'u,”  continued 
Mrs.  Passford.  “We  have  nothing  to  do  here, 
and  I should  like  to  return  to  Bonnydale  as  soon 
as  possible.  But  what  will  you  do  with  your 
prisoner,  Christy  ? ” 

“ I shall  do  nothing  with  him.  Sampson  is  in 
charge  of  him,  and  I am  sure  he  will  not  take  his 
eye  off  the  major  while  he  remains  on  board.” 


148 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


The  port-quarter  boat  was  lowered  into  the 
water,  and  a couple  of  the  old  sailors  took  their 
places  in  her.  The  ladies  were  assisted  to  their 
seats,  and  Christy,  after  he  had  informed  the 
engineer  that  he  was  in  command  during  his 
absence,  leaped  into  the  boat,  and  it  was  pulled  to 
the  nearest  pier.  A carriage  was  called,  and  the 
party  were  driven  to  the  hotel.  It  was  half-past 
six,  and  Christy  was  informed  that  his  father  had 
not  yet  come  down.  Word  was  sent  up  to  him, 
and  the  son  went  to  his  room,  where  he  found  him 
only  half  dressed. 

44 1 did  not  expect  to  see  you  at  this  time  in  the 
morning,  my  son,”  said  the  owner  of  the  Bellevite. 
44  How  did  you  come  down  so  early  ? ” 

44 1 came  in  the  Bellevite  ; and  she  is  at  anchor 
in  the  stream  off  Twentieth  Street,  father,”  replied 
Christy. 

44  In  the  Bellevite  ! ” exclaimed  Captain  Passford, 
with  the  nearest  thing  to  a frown  that  ever  ap- 
peared on  his  brow  in  the  presence  of  any  member 
of  his  family.  44 1 don’t  quite  understand  how  ” — 
44  An  attempt  was  made  to  capture  her  last 
night,  father,  and  I thought  it  best  to  make  sure 
of  her,”  interposed  the  midshipman. 


AFTER  THE  BATTLE 


149 


“ To  capture  her!'’  ejaculated  Captain  Pass- 
ford,  suspending  his  toilet,  and  gazing  into  the 
face  of  his  son.  “ I think  you  must  have  dreamed 
that,  Christy.” 

“ Perhaps  I did,  father ; but  we  captured  one 
prisoner  of  rank  in  my  dream,  and  he  is  on  board 
now,  closely  guarded  by  Sampson,”  replied  Christy, 
laughing  in  his  excitement.  “ Mother  and  Florry 
were  on  board,  and  they  are  down  in  the  parlor 
waiting  to  see  you.” 

“ Do  you  mean  that  an  attempt  was  really  made 
to  capture  the  Bellevite  last  night  ? ” asked  the 
captain,  as  if  unable  to  credit  the  astounding  in- 
telligence. 

“ Of  course  I can  prove  all  I say  by  many  wit- 
nesses. Mr.  Watts  is  on  board,  and  he  has  been 
dreaming  too  if  I have.  Paul  Yapoor  is  another 
dreamer,  to  say  nothing  of  eight  or  ten  more  on 
board,”  added  Christy. 

Captain  Passford  completed  dressing  himself 
about  as  quick  as  he  had  probably  ever  done 
since  he  became  a millionnaire,  and  attended 
Christy  down  to  the  parlor,  where  he  gave  his 
wife  and  daughter  an  affectionate  reception. 

“ But  our  boy  tells  me  that  some  one  has  been 


150 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


trying  to  obtain  possession  of  the  Bellevite,  Julia; 
and  it  seems  to  me  hardly  possible  that  such  an 
attempt  should  be  made  so  far  up  the  river,”  said 
Captain  Passford,  as  soon  as  he  was  able  to  allude 
to  the  subject. 

“ But  it  is  quite  true,  Horatio  ; and  our  boy  has 
behaved  like  a hero,  if  he  is  our  son,”  replied  the 
lady,  bestowing  a glance  of  pride  upon  the  mid- 
shipman. 

“ He  says  he  has  a prisoner  on  board,”  added 
the  captain. 

“ And  who  do  you  think  that  prisoner  is,  Hora- 
tio?” asked  Mrs.  Passford. 

“Is  it  Jeff  Davis?”  he  inquired,  with  a smile. 

“ Not  exactly  ; but  it  is  Major  Lindley  Pier- 
son.” 

“ Indeed  ? Then  I begin  to  see  through  the 
matter,”  replied  Captain  Passford.  “ He  failed  to 
obtain  the  steamer  in  Mobile  Bay,  and  he  came  up 
here  after  her.  But  I should  like  to  hear  the  par- 
ticulars of  this  affair.” 

“ And  poor  Corny  Passford  was  wounded  in  the 
shoulder,”  said  Florry,  who  had  hardly  spoken 
before. 

“You  don’t  mean  that  you  had  a fight, 


AFTER  THE  BATTLE 


151 


Christy  ? ” demanded  the  captain,  looking  quite 
serious. 

u Not  much  of  a fight,  father;  we  fired  the  long 
gun  once,  and  disabled  an  old  steamer,  and  we 
sunk  a boat  that  was  trying  to  lay  us  aboard.” 

“ Then  it  was  a more  serious  affair  than  I had 
supposed.” 

“ But,  father,  I think  we  had  better  be  going  on 
board  ; and  I can  tell  you  the  story  on  the  way 
just  as  well  as  here,”  suggested  Christy. 

“ But  you  must  have  your  breakfast  before  you 
go,  for  there  is  nothing  to  eat  on  board  of  the 
steamer,”  replied  Captain  Passford,  as  he  led  the 
way  down  into  the  restaurant. 

While  they  were  waiting  for  the  meal  to  be 
served,  the  captain  went  to  the  house  of  a military 
officer,  with  whom  he  was  intimately  acquainted, 
and  requested  him  to  take  the  prisoner  off  his 
hands.  After  the  meagre  details  of  the  affair  he 
gave,  the  officer  offered  to  put  a company  on  board 
of  the  steamer  for  her  protection  ; but  the  captain 
thought  this  was  unnecessary. 

After  the  breakfast,  the  party  took  a carriage 
for  the  pier.  On  the  way  the  captain  ordered  a 
supply  of  cooked  provisions  to  be  sent  down  to  the 


152 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


boat  for  the  use  of  the  men  on  board  of  the  Belle- 
vite.  With  this  supply  the  party  went  on  board. 
On  the  way  Christy  had  told  his  story,  and  by  the 
time  they  went  on  board  Captain  Passford  had 
learned  all  about  the  affair. 

He  had  received  the  order  to  deliver  the  steamer 
at  the  Navy  Yard  on  the  following  Monday,  and  he 
decided  to  return  to  Bonnydale  in  her.  Enough 
of  the  former  members  of  the  ship’s  company 
could  be  obtained  in  a few  hours  to  hold  the 
vessel  against  any  enemy  that  was  likely  to  ap- 
pear in  the  river.  As  the  owner  was  now  on 
board,  the  engineer  put  on  full  steam,  and  she 
reached  her  anchorage,  as  indicated  by  the  buoy 
of  the  cable  which  had  been  slipped.  It  was 
hauled  in,  and  the  Bellevite  was  replaced  in  her 
former  position. 

The  tremendous  report  of  the  great  gun  in  the 
small  hours  of  the  morning  had  startled  all  the 
people  in  the  vicinity,  though  it  was  not  till  they 
left  their  beds  that  the  news  was  conveyed  to 
them.  A party  in  the  town  just  below  the  scene 
of  the  disaster  to  the  Vampire  had  been  collected, 
and  they  had  taken  a steamer  to  explore  the  river 
in  search  of  the  bold  actors  in  the  affair,  as  soon 


AFTER  THE  BATTLE 


153 


as  the  facts  were  known  in  the  vicinity.  The 
steamer  had  been  running  up  and  down  the  river 
since  six  in  the  morning. 

When  the  Bellevite  passed  up  the  river,  she 
was  promptly  recognized  by  the  investigating 
party  on  board  of  the  Alert,  which  followed  the 
steamer  up  to  her  anchorage.  She  came  along- 
side some  time  after  the  crew  had  fished  up  the 
cable  ; but  Captain  Passford  warned  her  to  keep 
off  as  soon  as  he  discovered  her  intention  to  come 
alongside.  She  was  a small  steamer,  and  had  at 
least  twenty  men  on  her  deck,  so  that  the  captain 
thought  it  necessary  to  learn  her  object  before  she 
came  any  nearer. 

A boat  with  two  men  was  sent  from  the  Alert, 
and  one  of  them  was  permitted  to  come  on  board. 
This  one  proved  to  be  Captain  Mainhill,  with 
whom  the  owner  of  the  Bellevite  was  well  ac- 
quainted. He  was  a wealthy  and  patriotic  man, 
though  rather  too  old  to  be  engaged  in  active  ser- 
vice for  his  country. 

“ I thought  you  might  be  representatives  of  the 
Southern  Confederacy,  and  I was  rather  shy  of 
you,”  said  Captain  Passford,  as  he  took  the  hand 
of  his  neighbor.  u I should  not  have  been  so 
cautious  if  I had  met  you  last  evening.” 


154 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


uWe  have  been  looking  for  the  gentlemen  who 
were  engaged  in  this  attempt  to  capture  the  Belle- 
vite,” added  Captain  Mainhill. 

“ I hope  you  have  found  them,  or  some  of 
them,”  replied  the  owner. 

u Only  a single  one  of  them  ; and  he  is  badly 
wounded.  We  have  scoured  the  river  for  miles 
without  finding  any  trace  of  the  enemy.  I think 
they  landed  on  the  east  shore,  and  went  over  to 
the  railroad,  where  they  probably  took  the  first 
train  that  came  along,”  replied  Captain  Mainhill. 

u Of  course,  they  saw  the  Bellevite  going  down 
the  river,  and  perhaps  they  have  gone  down  to 
New  York  to  finish  the  job  they  begun  here,”  sug- 
gested Captain  Passford.  u Do  you  know  if  the 
enemy  lost  any  of  their  number  when  the  boat 
was  smashed  ? ” 

But  Captain  Mainhill  knew  nothing  about  the 
affair  on  the  river  beyond  the  fact  that  an  attempt 
had  been  made  to  capture  the  Bellevite,  and 
he  had  not  ascertained  that  more  than  one  was 
injured. 

uWe  found  the  Vampire  aground  half  a mile 
below  where  the  shot  disabled  her,”  continued  the 
leader  of  the  expedition.  “ Her  machinery  was 


AFTER  THE  BATTLE 


155 


badly  smashed.  She  never  was  good  for  much, 
and  she  is  good  for  nothing  now.” 

“ Did  the  enemy  carry  off  the  one  who  was 
wounded  ? ” asked  Captain  Passford,  prompted  by 
his  wife. 

u No ; he  seems  to  have  been  too  badly  dam- 
aged for  that ; they  left  him  at  the  house  of  a 
workingman  near  the  river,  and  I suppose  he  is 
there  now,”  replied  Captain  Mainhill.  “I  don’t 
know  that  there  is  anything  more  that  we  can  do, 
and  we  may  as  well  go  home  to  breakfast.” 

u Do  you  know  where  the  wounded  person  is  to 
be  found  ? ” asked  Captain  Passford. 

“ I do  ; and  I have  seen  him.  He  is  suffering  a 
good  deal  of  pain  ; but  he  is  as  plucky  as  a mad 
snake,  and  he  would  not  say  a word  in  answer  to 
my  questions.” 

“ I shall  be  greatly  obliged  to  you,  Captain 
Mainhill,  if  you  will  land  me  as  near  as  you  can  to 
the  house  where  this  wounded  man  is,  and  show 
me  where  it  is.  Mrs.  Passford  will  go  with  me,” 
said  the  owner. 

“ Very  glad  indeed  to  do  it,”  replied  the  leader 
of  the  searching  party. 

Captain  Passford  instructed  some  of  the  men 


156 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


on  board  to  summon  all  the  former  ship’s  company 
of  the  Bellevite  on  board  at  once  that  could  be 
found,  and  then  went  on  board  of  the  Alert  with 
his  wife.  They  were  landed  in  a boat  just  below 
the  bend,  and  Captain  Mainhill  conducted  them  to 
the  house  where  Corny  was  said  to  be. 

They  found  him  there,  and  the  poor  fellow  was 
glad  enough  to  see  them.  No  doctor  had  been 
called,  and  nothing  had  been  done  to  alleviate  his 
pain ; but  he  was  immediately  removed  to  the 
mansion  at  Bonnydale,  with  his  own  consent,  and 
Dr.  Linscott  was  sent  for. 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  A CHASE 


157 


CHAPTER  XIY 

THE  BEGINNING  OF  A CHASE 

Major  Pierson  still  remained  on  board  of  the 
Bellevite,  for  no  officer  had  been  sent  on  board  for 
him,  as  expected ; and  he  was  under  the  efficient 
care  of  Sampson.  He  was  subjected  to  no  re- 
straint, and  he  took  his  breakfast  with  the  engi- 
neer. But  he  was  not  a welcome  visitor  on  board, 
and  Captain  Passford  would  have  been  very  glad 
to  get  rid  of  him. 

The  owner  sought  him  the  next  time  he  came 
on  board,  when  he  was  not  so  busy  as  he  had  been 
before.  But  he  said  nothing  to  him  about  his  mis- 
sion at  the  North,  and  treated  him  as  a guest 
rather  than  a prisoner.  For  reasons  of  his  own, 
though  not  difficult  to  conjecture,  he  was  very 
anxious  to  make  a good  appearance  before  the 
father  of  Miss  Florry,  and  he  was  a gentleman  in 
his  manners. 

“ Major  Pierson,  I am  sorry  to  do  anything  that 


158 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


may  be  unpleasant  to  you,  but  I have  not  the 
means  of  holding  you  as  a prisoner,”  said  the 
captain,  after  they  had  been  talking  of  indiffer- 
ent subjects  for  a time. 

“ I realize  that  I am  a prisoner  of  war,  subject 
to  such  restraint  as  my  captors  impose  upon  me,” 
replied  the  major. 

“ If  you  will  allow  yourself  to  be  paroled,  it  will 
settle  your  status  for  the  present,”  added  Captain 
Passford. 

“ As  a guest  at  your  house  ? ” asked  the  major, 
his  face  suddenly  brightening  up.  “ I shall  be 
very  happy  to  give  my  parole.” 

“ Not  at  my  house,  if  you  please,  Major  Pierson ; 
it  would  not  be  convenient  at  the  present  time,” 
replied  the  owner,  astonished  at  the  suggestion. 

“Then  you  will  excuse  me  if  I decline  to  ac- 
cept a parole,”  replied  the  prisoner,  biting  his  lip 
as  though  he  was  not  pleased  with  the  reply. 
“ As  a guest  in  your  house,  I should  not  wish 
you  to  have  any  solicitude  in  regard  to  me.” 

“Very  well,  major;  I cannot  object  to  your 
decision,”  added  the  captain,  as  he  touched  his 
hat  and  left  the  prisoner  to  the  attentions  of 
Sampson. 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  A CHASE 


159 


He  was  kept  on  board  of  the  Bellevite,  now 
re-enforced  by  the  return  of  about  twenty  of  her 
former  crew,  so  that  regular  watches  were  kept, 
and  there  was  no  chance  for  the  prisoner  to  es- 
cape, and  none  for  Captain  Carboneer  to  capture 
the  steamer.  Dr.  Linscott  soon  relieved  Corny  of 
his  pain,  but  it  was  many  weeks  before  he  was 
fit  to  leave  the  house,  and  then  he  was  paroled. 
Captain  Passford  could  never  ascertain  what  had 
become  of  the  crew  intended  for  the  Bellevite, 
though  it  was  supposed,  as  they  separated,  that 
they  found  their  way  to  some  port  where  they 
could  ship  for  their  chosen  service. 

On  the  Monday  following  the  attempt  to  cap- 
ture her,  the  Bellevite  was  taken  to  the  Navy 
Yard,  and  she  was  prepared  for  service.  It  was 
understood  that  her  former  officers  and  crew 
would  be  appointed  to  her,  for  they  were  accus- 
tomed to  the  vessel,  and  could  do  better  with  her 
than  any  other.  Paul  Yapoor  and  Christy  Pass- 
ford  had  already  received  their  commissions  and 
orders.  Captain  Breaker  had  been  restored  to  his 
former  rank,  and  was  to  be  the  commander  of  the 
Bellevite. 

It  was  two  months  before  the  ship  was  ready  to 


160 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


go  into  commission.  Important  alterations  had 
been  made  below,  and  the  armament  had  been  taken 
from  her  deck,  substituting  for  it  a Parrot  mid- 
ship piece,  of  eight-inch  bore,  and  carrying  a one 
hundred  and  fifty  pound  shot,  two  sixty-pounders, 
and  two  thirty-pounders.  This  was  a heavy  arma- 
ment, but  the  ship  was  strong  enough  to  bear  it. 

Joel  Dashington  and  Ethan  Blowitt  were  ap- 
pointed as  masters,  and  were  to  be  the  first  and 
second  lieutenants,  while  Christy  Passford  was  the 
third.  Leon  Bolter  was  made  a first  assistant  en- 
gineer, and  Fred  Faggs  the  second.  Sampson  ob- 
tained his  place  as  a first-class  fireman,  with  the 
expectation  of  soon  becoming  an  assistant  engineer, 
for  he  was  well  qualified  for  the  position. 

Captain  Passford,  though  he  had  offered  his  ser- 
vices in  any  capacity  in  which  he  might  be  needed, 
had  been  induced  to  withdraw  his  application  for 
the  reason  that  he  could  be  of  more  service  to  the 
cause  at  home  than  he  could  in  the  field  or  at  sea. 
He  was  a man  of  influence,  and  he  was  needed  in 
civil  life.  He  was  even  able  to  do  more  as  an 
adviser  and  counsellor  than  in  any  public  office, 
though  he  filled  several  of  the  latter  in  the  earlier 
part  of  the  war.  He  furnished  no  inconsiderable 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  A CHASE 


161 


part  of  the  money  needed  at  particular  times,  and 
he  was  only  less  valuable  on  account  of  his  money 
than  he  was  for  his  patriotism  and  good  judgment. 

“ Now,  Christy,  remember  that  you  are  an  officer 
of  the  United  States,  and  make  yourself  worthy 
of  the  place  you  occupy,”  said  his  father  to  Christy, 
on  the  evening  of  his  last  day  at  home.  “ Study 
your  duty,  and  then  perform  it  faithfully.  Per- 
haps I can  tell  you  something  of  more  value  than 
good  advice  is  generally  considered  to  be.” 

“ I shall  try  to  follow  your  good  advice,  father ; 
and  I mean  to  do  my  duty  ; and  it  will  not  be  for 
the  want  of  trying  if  I fail,”  replied  Christy. 

“ You  have  sailed  with  Captain  Breaker  a great 
deal  when  you  were  in  a different  relation  to  him. 
Now  I must  warn  you  that  he  has  his  duty  to  do, 
and  I hope  you  will  not  expect  to  be  favored,  or 
ask  him  for  privileges  not  granted  to  other  offi- 
cers,” continued  the  late  owner  of  the  Bellevite. 

“ T am  sure  I expect  him  to  be  impartial  with 
his  officers.” 

“ I meant  to  have  seen  Breaker  this  afternoon 
before  I came  home  ; but  I had  not  time  to  go  to 
the  ship.  For  some  of  my  own  affairs  I have  had 
three  agents  in  England.  I wrote  them  some  time 


162 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


ago  to  obtain  all  the  information  they  could  in 
regard  to  vessels,  especially  steamers,  that  cleared 
for  any  ports  of  the  British  Possessions  near  the 
United  States,”  continued  Captain  Passford,  tak- 
ing a letter  from  his  pocket.  “ Two  weeks  ago 
an  iron  steamer  sailed  from  a port  in  Ireland  for 
the  Bermudas.  This  letter  will  tell  you  all  about 
it,  and  you  will  hand  it  to  Captain  Breaker,  and 
give  him  my  explanation.” 

The  midshipman  put  the  letter  into  his  pocket 
without  reading  it.  In  his  chamber  he  looked  it 
over,  and  found  that  it  meant  business,  and  he 
was  delighted  with  the  idea  of  having  something 
to  do  before  he  reached  the  port  for  which  the 
ship  was  bound,  for  the  inactivity  of  the  blockade 
was  not  wholly  to  his  mind.  He  slept  as  soundly 
as  usual,  for  already  he  had  come  to  regard  war  as 
the  business  in  which  he  was  engaged,  and  he  had 
but  little  sickly  sentiment  over  it. 

It  was  a tearful  parting  with  his  mother  and 
sister  before  he  took  the  train  with  his  father,  and 
it  was  a sad  one  with  his  father  when  he  went  off 
to  the  Bellevite  in  the  boat.  But  neither  of  them 
shed  any  tears,  for  both  felt  that  they  were  called 
upon  to  discharge  their  duty  to  their  country. 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  A CHASE 


163 


Captain  Breaker  had  always  trained  his  officers 
and  seamen  to  perform  their  duty  in  conformity 
with  the  discipline  of  the  navy  so  far  as  it  was 
practicable  to  do  so,  and  consequently  his  ship’s 
company  were  very  nearly  at  home  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  voyage.  He  had  received  his  sealed 
orders,  and  at  noon  the  Bellevite  went  down  the 
bay  on  her  mission  to  the  South,  though  no  one  on 
board  knew  where  the  ship  was  bound.  The  crew 
had  been  re-enforced  by  as  many  men  as  she  had 
usually  carried,  and  the  first  day  was  a very  busy 
one  in  putting  everything  in  order.  Christy  had 
handed  the  letter  his  father  had  given  him  to  the 
captain,  and  after  dinner  he  spoke  of  it. 

“ Did  you  read  this  letter,  Mr.  Passford  ? ” asked 
the  captain. 

“ I did,  sir ; my  father  told  me  to  read  it,” 
replied  Christy. 

“ It  appears  that  a very  fast  steamer  loaded  with 
a valuable  cargo  sailed  from  Belfast  eleven  days 
ago,  clearing  for  the  Bermudas.  We  shall  all  be 
very  happy  to  pay  our  respects  to  her ; but  I can 
say  nothing  till  I have  opened  my  orders  to-mor- 
row,” said  Captain  Breaker. 

u If  she  sailed  eleven  days  ago  from  Belfast,  she 


164 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


ought  to  be  well  up  with  the  Bermudas,  if  she  is 
as  fast  as  represented,  sir,”  added  Christy,  hoping 
the  orders  would  permit  the  Bellevite  to  look  out 
for  the  Killbright,  as  she  was  called. 

The  next  day,  as  the  observations  indicated  the 
latitude  in  which  the  sealed  orders  were  to  be 
opened,  the  seal  of  the  official  envelope  was  broken. 
Captain  Breaker  read  the  letter,  and  a smile  came 
over  his  bronzed  face.  The  orders  were  evidently 
to  his  satisfaction ; and  Christy,  who  was  on  duty 
near  him,  remembered  what  his  father  had  said  to 
him,  and  asked  no  question,  as  he  would  have  been 
likely  to  do  under  other  circumstances.  But  the 
commander  was  kind  enough  to  call  his  officers  to 
him,  and  inform  them  of  the  duty  assigned  to  the 
ship. 

The  government  had  received  information  which 
indicated  the  approach  to  our  shores  of  a consider- 
able fleet  of  blockade  runners , and  the  Bellevite, 
on  account  of  her  reputed  fast  sailing,  was  to 
cruise  for  a given  time  off  the  coast  in  search  of 
these  blockade  runners. 

“ I have  no  doubt  these  blockade  runners  will 
go  into  the  Bermudas,  especially  the  Killbright. 
If  we  go  into  St.  George,  we  shall  not  be  allowed 


THE  BEGINNING  OE  A CHASE 


165 


to  sail  till  twenty-four  hours  after  this  fast  vessel 
leaves,”  said  Captain  Breaker.  “ On  the  other 
hand,  if  we  are  seen  off  the  port,  she  will  not  come 
out.” 

“ I don’t  see,  then,  that  we  can  do  anything 
about  it,  Captain  Breaker,”  added  Mr.  Dasli- 
ington. 

44  Captain  Passford’s  correspondent  thinks  the 
Ivillbright  is  intended  for  the  Confederate  Navy, 
and  that  she  is  commanded  by  a naval  officer  sent 
out  for  the  purpose,”  continued  the  captain. 

But  no  satisfactory  measures  could  be  devised 
for  overcoming  the  difficulties  on  both  hands,  and 
the  steamer  sped  on  her  way.  In  two  days  more 
she  was  in  sight  of  the  Bermudas.  It  was  almost 
dark  when  the  lookout  sighted  a steamer  coming 
out  from  the  islands.  By  the  order  of  the  captain, 
the  engine  was  stopped,  and  the  steamer  rested 
silently  on  a calm  sea. 

44 1 don’t  think  she  has  seen  us  yet,”  said  Captain 
Breaker.  “ If  she  had,  she  would  have  come  about 
and  run  back  into  the  harbor.” 

44  She  keeps  on  her  course,”  added  Mr.  Dashing- 
ton. 

44  If  she  has  the  reputation  of  being  a very  fast 


166 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


vessel,  very  likely  she  believes  that  she  can  run 
away  from  us,”  suggested  Mr.  Blowitt. 

“As  I don’t  believe  the  vessel  floats  that  can 
outsail  the  Bellevite,  I shall  give  her  time  to  get 
well  away  from  the  port  before  the  screw  turns 
again,”  said  the  captain. 

“ Mr.  Passford,”  called  he  a little  later. 

“ On  duty,  sir,”  replied  Christy,  touching  his 
cap  to  the  commander. 

“You  will  have  the  midship  gun  charged  with 
a solid  shot,  and  have  it  ready  for  use  at  once.” 

As  the  steamer  in  the  distance  still  kept  on 
her  course,  the  screw  of  the  Bellevite  was  started. 
The  chief  engineer  was  called  upon  deck,  and  the 
situation  explained  to  him. 

“We  shall  want  all  the  speed  we  can  get  out  of 
her,  Mr.  Vapoor,”  said  the  captain. 

“We  shall  have  no  trouble  in  making  twenty- 
two  knots,  sir,  with  the  sea  as  it  is  now,”  replied 
the  engineer. 

“ That  steamer  means  to  go  into  the  Cape  Fear 
River,”  said  Mr.  Blowitt,  when  the  chase  had  laid 
her  course.  “ If  she  was  going  in  at  Savannah,  or 
round  into  the  Gulf,  she  would  go  more  to  the 
south.” 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  A CHASE 


167 


“ I think  you  are  right ; but  she  has  room 
enough  to  run  away  from  us  if  she  can,”  added 
the  captain. 

It  was  a busy  time  in  the  fireroom,  but  there 
was  nothing  to  do  on  deck  but  watch  the  steamer. 
She  had  actually  lighted  the  green  light  on  the 
starboard,  and  evidently  did  not  expect  to  be  over- 
hauled, even  if  her  commander  had  noticed  the 
presence  of  the  Bellevite. 


168 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY  S LINES 


CHAPTER  XV 

A CHASE  OFF  THE  BERMUDAS 

All  the  officers  on  board  of  the  Bellevite  who 
had  never  been  in  the  navy  had  spent  their  long 
vacation  in  the  study  and  practice  of  gunnery  and 
naval  tactics  ; and  the  men  had  been  carefully 
drilled  by  a competent  officer  as  soon  as  they 
reported  for  duty.  But  a considerable  number  of 
the  latter  had  served  for  years  on  board  of  men-of- 
war,  and  a few  were  sheet-anchor  men.  The  latter 
are  sailors  who  have  spent  the  greater  part  of  their 
lives  in  the  national  sea-service,  and  they  were 
competent  to  teach  many  of  the  junior  officers. 

Every  day  after  the  ship  went  into  commission, 
both  officers  and  seamen  were  drilled,  and  the  cap- 
tain declared  that  they  had  all  made  satisfactory 
proficiency.  He  was  ready  to  meet  an  enemy  with 
them  ; but  then  the  ship’s  company  of  the  steam- 
yacht  were  of  the  very  best  material.  They  wer6 
all  intelligent  men,  and  sailors  to  begin  with,  so 


A CHASE  OFF  THE  BERMUDAS 


169 


that  the  task  of  qualifying  them  for  active  duty 
was  not  very  laborious. 

Christy  was  even  better  fitted  for  his  duties  than 
many  of  the  older  officers,  for  he  was  not  only  full 
of  enthusiasm,  but  he  was  skilful  and  scientific,  as 
a rule.  He  neither  asked  nor  expected  any  favors 
on  account  of  former  relations  with  the  captain 
and  other  officers,  and  he  was  determined  to  make 
his  way  by  merit  rather  than  by  favor.  Besides, 
he  had  already  been  under  fire,  and  he  had  an  idea 
how  it  felt.  Though  he  was  as  prudent  and  care- 
ful as  circumstances  might  require,  he  had  proved 
that  he  was  as  brave  as  a lion,  and  that  shot  and 
shell  were  not  likely  to  drive  him  from  the  post  of 
duty. 

Every  man  was  in  his  place  at  the  midship  gun, 
seventeen  of  them,  including  the  powder-boy,  and 
Christy  gave  the  orders  for  loading  the  piece  as 
though  he  had  been  in  the  navy  all  his  life.  The 
other  guns,  the  broadsides,  were  loaded  at  the 
same  time.  But  just  now  Paul  Vapoor  was 
the  most  important  man  on  board,  and  he  was 
rapidly  making  himself  felt  in  the  increasing  speed 
of  the  Bellevite.  Captain  Breaker  estimated  that 
the  steamer  which  had  just  come  out  of  port  was 


170 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


all  of  live  miles  ahead.  It  was  only  seven  o’clock 
in  the  early  darkness  of  this  latitude.  Whether 
the  chase  was  the  Killbright  or  not,  it  was  impos- 
sible to  make  out  in  the  darkness. 

If  it  was  the  Killbright,  Captain  Passford’s  cor- 
respondent wrote  that  she  was  capable  of  making 
twenty  knots  an  hour,  as  she  had  been  built  more 
for  speed  than  anything  else,  though  she  could 
hardly  be  a profitable  commercial  venture.  But 
even  accepting  this  speed  as  the  difficulty  to  be 
overcome,  the  Bellevite  would  probably  overhaul 
her  in  two  or  three  hours.  The  engineer  felt  that 
his  reputation  and  that  of  the  ship  were  at  stake, 
and  could  not  think  of  such  a thing  as  failure  in 
the  first  actual  encounter  with  the  enemy. 

u We  are  gaining  on  her  without  the  ghost  of  a 
doubt,  Mr.  Passford,”  said  Boxie,  who  was  ready 
for  duty  at  the  gun. 

“No  doubt  of  that,  Tom  Boxie,”  replied  the 
third  lieutenant.  “ But  she  is  taking  it  very 
coolly.  She  has  not  yet  even  put  out  her  lights.” 

“ I suppose  you  know  why  she  hasn’t,  Mr. 
Passford,”  added  the  captain  of  the  gun. 

“ I am  sure  I don’t  know,”  replied  Christy. 
“ If  I was  in  command  of  that  steamer,  and  wanted 


A CHASE  OFF  THE  BERMUDAS 


171 


to  do  just  what  she  does,  I should  not  proceed  as 
she  does.  But  I am  nothing  but  a boy.” 

“ But  you  have  got  a long  head  on  your  shoul- 
ders, Mr.  Passford,  and  I should  like  to  know,  if 
you  please,  what  you  would  do.” 

“ I would  put  her  lights  out  before  I winked 
twice.” 

“ Right,  Mr.  Passford ! ” exclaimed  the  sheet- 
anchor  man.  “ I am  glad  to  hear  you  say  that. 

The  trouble  with  most  of  the  boys  is,  when  they 

% 

go  to  sea  to  fight  the  battles  of  their  country,  they 
are  as  reckless  as  young  wildcats.” 

“ I think  it  is  possible  to  use  proper  caution 
without  being  a coward,  Tom  Boxie ; and  my 
father  gave  me  a lesson  on  that  subject  not  long 


ago. 


“ Eight  bells,  sir ; and  that  steamer  has  had  a 
good  hour  of  running  so  far.  I will  wager  my 
^clay’s  grub  that  we  are  two  knots  nearer  to  her 
'4han  when  she  laid  her  course,”  added  Boxie, 
delighted  with  the  situation. 

“ I have  no  doubt  of  it.  I think  they  are  begin- 
ning to  see  it  on  board  of  her.  There  go  her 
lights  ! She  has  not  a ghost  of  a glow  in  sight ; 
and  I .suppose  there  is  going  to  be  some  monkey- 


172 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


ing  about  it,  if  she  lias  ascertained  that  she  cannot 
run  away  from  us.” 

“ Most  likely,  sir ; but  this  is  not  a good  night 
to  play  tricks,  for  we  have  a bright  night  and  a 
smooth  sea.” 

“ As  that  steamer  has  such  a reputation  for 
speed,  I have  no  doubt  they  put  a very  valuable 
cargo  on  board  of  her ; probably  she  has  a good 
supply  of  arms  in  her  hold.” 

“So  much  the  better  for  us,  Mr.  Passford.  We 
don’t  fight  for  prize-money,  but  when  a man  gets 
to  be  as  old  as  I am,  a good  round  sum  of  money 
don’t  come  amiss  to  him.  But  I am  sorry  to  see 
that  it  looks  like  a change  of  weather,*’  continued 
the  sheet-anchor  man,  as  he  hitched  up  his  trousers, 
and  took  a survey  of  the  heavens. 

The  wind  began  to  come  from  the  west  after  it 
had  been  almost  a dead  calm  since  noon.  It 
looked  as  though  a heavy  shower  was  coming  up, 
and  clouds  of  mist  and  fog  swept  over  the  ocean. 
The  usual  lookouts  had  been  doubled,  but,  in 
spite  of  all  precautions,  the  Bellevite  lost  sight  of 
the  chase  when  she  could  not  have  been  more  than 
a mile  from  her.  But  this  weather  was  to  be 
expected  in  this  changeable  latitude.  Captain 


A CHASE  OFF  THE  BERMUDAS 


173 


breaker  was  as  perplexed  as  any  one,  however 
ikilful,  must  have  been  in  the  same  situation.  It 
vas  impossible  to  know  what  the  chase  would  do, 
though  it  was  plain  enough,  since  she  put  out  her 
lights,  that  she  would  change  her  course. 

It  was  over  six  hundred  miles  to  Cape  Hatteras, 
and  she  had  room  enough  to  manoeuvre  in  any 
manner  she  pleased.  The  change  in  the  weather 
hardly  amounted  to  a storm,  and  probably  it  would 
be  all  over  in  a few  hours.  But  the  chase  might 
turn  to  any  point  of  the  compass,  and  the  Belle- 
vite  was  as  likely  to  pursue  in  the  wrong  as  the 
right  direction.  But  the  first  thing  the  Com- 
mander ordered  the  chief  engineer  to  do  was  to 
save  his  coal ; though  he  held  to  his  course,  and 
the  ship  continued  at  a moderate  speed  till  day- 
light. 

As  the  wise  ones  had  predicted,  the  shower  was 
of  brief  duration.  As  soon  as  it  was  light  enough 
to  see,  and  the  fog  banks  had  been  swept  away,  a 
sharp  lookout  was  kept  for  the  chase.  If  she  was 
ahead,  she  had  outsailed  her  pursuer ; but  Captain 
Breaker  was  sure  she  had  not  done  this,  for  she 
could  not  have  had  confidence  enough  in  her  heels 
to  adopt  such  a course. 


174 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ Sail,  ho  ! ” yelled  a man  on  the  cross-trees,  a 
few  minutes  later. 

“ Where  away  ? ” called  the  officer  of  the  deck. 

“ On  the  port  beam,  sir.” 

Several  officers  mounted  the  rigging  to  obtain  a 
sight  of  the  reported  sail.  She  was  at  least  ten 
miles  off,  and  no  one  could  make  out  whether  or 
not  it  was  the  chase  of  the  night  before.  The  cap- 
tain ordered  the  ship  to  be  headed  to  the  south- 
ward, and,  after  she  had  gone  on  this  course  an 
hour,  there  was  another  hail  from  the  cross-trees. 

“ Sail  is  a steamer,  sir  ! ” reported  the  lookout. 

With  the  aid  of  the  spyglasses,  a long  streak  of 
black  smoke  could  be  made  out  of  the  dark  clouds 
that  were  retreating  in  that  direction.  A little 
later  it  was  demonstrated  that  she  was  headed  for 
the  coast  of  the  United  States.  Whether  it  was 
the  chase  they  sought  or  not,  she  needed  looking 
after.  The  course  was  laid  in  a direction  to  inter- 
cept the  steamer,  for  her  inky  smoke  indicated 
that  she  was  not  American. 

In  another  hour  she  could  be  very  distinctly 
made  out,  though  the  chase  had  not  been  so  clearly 
made  out  the  night  before  as  to  enable  the  officers 
to  identify  her.  Paul  Vapoor  was  in  his  element 


A CHASE  OFF  THE  BERMUDAS 


175 


again,  and  the  Bellevite  was  doing  her  best.  The 
two  vessels  were  approaching  each  other,  and 
Boxie  suggested  that  there  would  be  “ music  ” in 
less  than  an  hour. 

The  people  on  board  of  the  strange  steamer  must 
have  been  as  much  in  the  dark  in  regard  to  the 
caliber  of  the  naval  vessel  as  those  on  board  of  the 
Bellevite  were  in  respect  to  their  confident  rival. 
The  chase  was  a long  craft,  it  could  be  seen  now, 
with  two  masts  and  two  smokestacks,  all  of  which 
raked  in  the  most  dashing  style.  She  was  rather 
low  in  the  water,  and,  if  it  had  been  in  the  days 
of  the  pirates,  the  stranger  would  have  been  a fair 
ideal  of  the  freebooter’s  ship. 

“ She  keeps  on  just  as  though  she  intended  to 
mind  her  own  business,  and  leave  the  Bellevite  to 
do  the  same,”  said  Boxie,  as  Christy  took  his  place 
near  the  midship  gun. 

“ I have  no  doubt  the  Bellevite  knows  her  busi- 
ness in  this  case,  and  that  she  will  attend  to  it  in 
due  time,”  added  the  lieutenant. 

“ Good!  ” exclaimed  the  sheet-anchor  man,  sud- 
denly. 

This  exclamation  was  called  forth  by  a flag, 
which  was  run  up  at  the  peak,  and  which  proved 


176 


WITHIN  THIS  ENEMY’S  LINES 


to  be  that  of  the  Confederacy  as  soon  as  it  was 
spread  out  to  the  breeze. 

“ She  is  plucky,  anyhow,”  added  Christy. 

“ There  is  no  lack  of  pluck  in  the  South.  But  I 
wonder  what  she  means  by  setting  that  rag.” 

“ Beeks,  hoist  the  ensign  at  the  peak,”  said  the 
captain,  and  the  brilliant  banner  was  spread  in  the 
morning  air. 

“ I reckon  both  sides  understand  the  situation 
now.  I don’t  know  the  captain  of  that  craft,  but 
he  is  an  able  fellow,  and  probably  got  his  educa- 
tion in  the  old  navy,  and  not  in  the  new  one,  where 
he  is  serving  now,”  continued  Boxie. 

“I  think  it  is  easy  enough  to  see  what  he 
means,”  replied  Christy.  “He  ascertained  last 
night  that,  fast  as  his  vessel  is,  he  cannot  outsail 
the  Bellevite ; and  there  is  really  only  one  thing 
he  can  do,  and  that  is  to  fight.” 

The  lieutenant  had  hardly  spoken  the  words 
before  there  was  a puff  of  smoke  from  one  side  of 
the  chase,  and  a heavy  report  came  across  the 
water.  But  the  two  steamers  were  still  a long 
distance  apart,  and  the  shot  fell  short,  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  captain.  The  chase  had  been 
obliged  to  come  to  in  order  to  bring  her  gun  to 


A CHASE  OFF  THE  BERMUDAS 


177 


bear,  and  she  had  lost  a little  time  in  doing  so.  It 
could  be  easily  seen  on  board  of  both  steamers 
that  the  Belle  vite  was  gaining  rapidly  on  the 
other. 

“ Mr.  Passford,  I am  as  sure  of  capturing  that 
vessel  as  though  I had  her  now,  and  I do  not  wish 
to  injure  her  any  more  than  is  necessary,”  said 
Captain  Breaker,  as  he  sighted  the  Parrot,  and 
devoted  especial  attention  to  her.  “ She  is  a 
very  fast  steamer,  and  she  will  be  very  valuable 
in  our  navy  in  picking  up  just  such  vessels  as  she 
is  herself.” 

Perhaps  it  was  impudence  for  him  to  do  so,  but 
Christy  could  not  help  casting  his  eye  along  the 
gun.  All  possible  precautions  were  taken  to  se- 
cure a correct  aim,  and  then  the  lieutenant  gave 
the  order  to  “ Fire  ! ” 

“ Hit  her,  sir  ! ” shouted  one  of  the  lookout  men 
aloft,  who  could  see  over  the  cloud  of  smoke. 

“ Where  did  it  strike  her?”  demanded  the  cap- 
tain. 

“ Right  in  the  broadside,  abreast  of  the  forward 
smokestack,  sir ! She  has  stopped  her  screw ! ” 
added  the  lookout. 

“ Mr.  Dashington,  get  the  ship  astern  of  the 


178 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


chase  at  once,”  continued  the  captain  to  the  first 
lieutenant. 

This  was  the  work  of  at  least  half  an  hour ; but 
the  Bellevite  was  running  for  the  stern  of  the  other 
steamer,  as  though  she  intended  to  cut  her  in  two 
lengthwise.  The  chase  lay  helpless  on  the  water, 
unable  to  bring  her  broadside  guns  to  bear  on  her 
enemy. 


THE  CONFEDERATE  STEAMER  YAZOO  179 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE  CONFEDERATE  STEAMER  YAZOO 

It  was  impossible  to  discover  the  nature  or  ex- 
tent of  the  injury  the  chase  had  received  from  the 
shot  from  the  midship  gun ; but  she  had  been 
disabled,  though  it  might  be  but  slightly.  The 
Bellevite  dashed  on,  as  though  impatient  to  obtain 
possession  of  her  prey.  All  the  glasses  on  board 
were  brought  to  bear  on  the  injured  vessel,  which 
all  hands  regarded  as  already  a prize. 

The  glasses  did  not  reveal  any  considerable 
havoc  in  the  side  of  the  steamer,  and  the  shot 
hole  could  easily  be  plugged  when  necessary ; but 
the  commander  of  the  craft  did  not  yet  give  up 
the  ship,  for  he  seemed  to  be  engaged  in  hoisting 
her  foresail  and  jibs,  evidently  with  the  intention 
of  bringing  her  about  so  that  he  could  use  his 
guns.  The  wind  was  very  light,  and  his  chances 
of  accomplishing  his  purpose  were  not  very  bril- 
liant. 


180 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ Mr.  Dashington,  you  will  call  all  hands,  and  be 
ready  to  board  the  prize  in  three  divisions  when  we 
run  abreast  of  her,”  said  Captain  Breaker.  u Let 
Mr.  Passford  command  the  forward  division  ; Mr. 
Blowitt,  the  waist;  and  Mr.  Calvert,  the  quarter.” 
The  boarders  were  mustered  at  once,  as  there 
was  no  occasion  to  fire  again  at  the  prize.  Each 
officer  arranged  his  men,  and  spoke  some  stirring 
words  to  them.  Men  in  the  tops  were  supplied 
with  muskets,  and  all  with  revolvers  and  cutlasses. 
It  was  not  believed  that  all  this  force  would  be 
-necessary  to  capture  the  prize,  but  there  was  some 
evidence  that  she  had  a fighting  crew  on  board, 
and  the  captain  prepared  for  the  worst. 

As  the  Bellevite  came  nearer  to  the  prize,  the 
sound  of  hammers  was  heard,  and  it  appeared  that 
the  engineers  were  engaged  in  an  effort  to  repair 
the  mischief  which  had  been  done  to  the  engine. 
It  was  still  impossible  to  see  how  many  men  she 
had  on  board,  but  Captain  Breaker  did  not  esti- 
mate that  she  had  a full  ship’s  company,  for  ves- 
sels intended  for  war -purposes,  escaping  as  this 
one  doubtless  had,  did  not  usually  take  their 
force  on  board  at  the  beginning  of  the  cruise. 

The  three  divisions  of  boarders  were  all  in  readi- 


Christy  and  Berks  on  the  Steamer’s  Deck.”  — Page  181. 


THE  CONFEDERATE  STEAMER  YAZOO  181 


ness,  and  all  they  feared  was  that  there  would  be 
little  for  them  to  do  on  board  the  enemy.  Captain 
Breaker  was  in  the  fore  rigging  where  he  could  ob- 
serve all  that  was  done  on  the  decks  of  both  ves- 
sels. The  Bellevite  went  ahead  with  all  speed  till 
the  signal  was  given  to  slow  down.  The  sea  was 
not  heavy,  and  the  captain  laid  her  alongside  of 
the  prize. 

“Do  you  surrender?”  demanded  the  commander 
in  a loud  tone,  but  with  his  usual  dignity. 

“ I do  not  surrender ! ” replied  the  captain  of 
the  steamer. 

“Boarders  away  ! ” shouted  Captain  Breaker. 

Christy  Passford  was  the  first  to  leap  upon  the 
rail  of  the  other  vessel,  and  then  he  dropped  in  the 
same  instant  upon  her  deck.  At  that  moment  he 
was  conscious  that  the  steamer  under  him  was 
moving,  though  it  might  be  the  -shaking  which  the 
Bellevite  gave  her  when  she  came  alongside.  On 
the  deck  of  the  prize,  as  he  still  taught  himself  to 
consider  her,  he  saw  not  more  than  thirty  men ; and 
with  nearly  three  times  that  number  on  the  other 
side,  it  did  not  look  as  if  it  could  be  a very  hotly 
contested  battle. 

As  Christy  jumped  down  from  the  rail,  Beeks 


182  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 

followed  him,  and  he  was  not  a little  surprised  to 
find  that  they  were  alone.  But  there  was  no 
enemy  at  hand  upon  whom  he  could  flesh  his  cut- 
lass, and  he  sprang  upon  the  rail  again.  He 
found  that  his  impression  had  been  correct,  for  the 
vessel  was  moving.  She  had  already  left  a gap  a 
dozen  feet  wide  between  the  Bellevite  and  herself. 

It  appeared  that  the  machinery  had  been  re- 
paired, and  that  it  was  now  capable  of  doing  all 
that  it  had  done  before.  The  steamer  was  the 
Killbriglit,  for  the  lieutenant  saw  the  name  painted 
in  several  places  about  her  forward  deck.  She 
had  suddenly  shot  ahead  very  unexpectedly  to  the 
captors,  as  they  supposed  they  were,  alongside  of 
her.  A puff  of  wind  had  been  favoring  her  before, 
and  she  darted  away  towards  the  northwest.  As 
she  began  to  move,  the  lock-strings  of  her  port 
battery  were  pulled  as  rapidly  as  possible. 

It  would  have  been  impossible  to  help  hit- 
ting the  Bellevite,  with  the  three  guns  fired  into 
her  at  so  short  a distance.  But  the  cloud  of 
smoke  that  enveloped  both  vessels  prevented  the 
captain  from  taking  in  the  situation.  The  crew  of 
the  Killbright  were  ordered  to  reload  their  guns 
instantly.  Whatever  was  to  happen  in  the  near 


THE  CONFEDERATE  STEAMER  YAZOO  183 


or  distant  future,  it  was  evident  that  the  dangerous 
steamer  had  not  yet  been  captured,  and  Christy 
did  not  think  of  her  as  a prize  any  more  just 
then. 

The  Killbright  crowded  on  all  the  steam  she 
could  obtain,  and  she  rapidly  increased  the  dis- 
tance between  herself  and  the  Bellevite.  She 
fired  her  three  broadside  guns  continually,  but  it 
was  clear  to  Christy  that  the  men  had  not  been 
trained  to  this  business,  or  they  might  perhaps 
have  sunk  the  naval  vessel  by  this  time. 

The  Bellevite  fired  her  two  broadside  guns,  and 
they  made  terrible  havoc  in  the  upper  works  of 
the  Killbright.  But  the  strangest  thing  of  all  to 
the  young  lieutenant,  caught  on  board  of  the  an- 
ticipated prize,  was  that  the  Bellevite  did  not  go 
ahead,  and  give  the  boarding  parties  a chance  to 
get  on  the  deck  of  the  enemy. 

“ I don’t  understand  it,  Beeks,”  said  Christy,  as 
he  found  himself  by  the  side  of  the  quartermaster. 
“ Why  don’t  the  ship  give  chase  ? ” 

“ I think  she  must  be  disabled,  sir,”  replied  the 
warrant  officer. 

u What  could  have  disabled  her  ? ” 
u I suppose  she  might  be  hit  as  well  as  this 


184 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


vessel,”  replied  Beeks,  no  better  pleased  with  the 
situation  than  his  companion  in  trouble.  “ They 
fired  three  shots  into  her  while  she  was  alongside.” 

“ She  must  have  been  hit  in  a bad  place,  or  she 
would  have  been  alongside  of  us  before  this  time. 
But  here  we  are.” 

The  third  lieutenant  and  quartermaster  felt  very 
much  like  prisoners,  though  they  had  no  evidence 
that  the  Killbright  was  a ship-of-war,  except  that 
she  had  hoisted  the  Confederate  flag,  and  fired 
upon  the  Bellevite.  But  the  rakish-looking 
steamer  continued  on  her  course,  while  the  Belle- 
vite had  not  moved  since  the  first  broadside.  She 
had  already  made  a mile,  and  the  shots  from  her 
enemy  did  not  seem  to  disable  her. 

She  continued  to  run  with  all  her  speed,  and  the 
lieutenant  felt  the  deck  quiver  as  though  it  was  in 
danger  of  being  shaken  out  of  her.  But  she  was 
not  followed  by  the  Bellevite,  and  things  began  to 
look  dark  and  somewhat  cheerless  to  Christy. 
The  firing  came  to  an  end,  for  the  distance  was 
becoming  too  great  for  it  to  be  effectual  on  either 
side. 

“ If  we  had  not  jumped  down  from  the  rail 
when  we  boarded,  we  might  have  escaped  this 


THE  CONFEDERATE  STEAMER  YAZOO  185 


scrape,”  said  Beeks,  who  was  even  more  disgusted 
than  his  companion. 

“ It  is  no  use  to  growl  about  it,”  added  Christy, 
laughing.  “ Here  we  are,  and  we  can’t  help  our- 
selves at  present.” 

“ I suppose  they  will  let  us  go,  won’t  they  ? ” 
inquired  the  quartermaster. 

“ Let  us  go  where  ? ” 

“ Let  us  go  back  where  we  came  from,”  replied 
Beeks,  who  seemed  to  be  quite  muddled  by  his 
misfortune. 

“ You  don’t  expect  them  to  put  you  on  board  of 
the  Bellevite  again,  do  you  ? ” 

“Well,  no;  not  exactly;  but  this  steamer  is 
nothing  but  a blockade  runner,  and  such  craft 
don’t  take  prisoners.” 

“ I hardly  know  what  she  is  yet ; she  is  a block- 
ade runner,  but  she  appears  to  be  something  more 
than  that.  She  hoisted  the  Confederate  flag,  and 
her  people  stood  by  their  guns  like  brave  men. 
I count  myself  as  a prisoner  of  war,”  said  Christy, 
to  the  increased  disgust  of  his  companion. 

u What  do  you  suppose  they  will  do  with  us  ? ” 
asked  Beeks,  looking  as  though  he  had  not  a friend 
in  the  world,  though  he  had  always  been  a very 


186 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


brave  and  active  fellow  when  there  was  anything 
to  do. 

“ I don’t  know,  but  I suppose  she  will  run  the 
blockade  into  the  Cape  Fear  River,  and  we  may  be 
taken  up  to  Wilmington.” 

While  they  were  talking  about  it,  they  saw  a 
grouji  of  oihcers  coming  to  the  forward  deck, 
where  they  had  remained  since  they  came  on 
board.  They  appeared  to  be  examining  the  steamer 
to  ascertain  what  damage  she  had  sustained. 
Her  bulwarks  had  been  torn  off,  and  she  had  suf- 
fered not  a little  from  shot ; but  she  did  not 
appear  to  be  very  seriously  damaged.  At  the 
head  of  the  party  was  one  who  had  a uniform,  and 
dignity  enough  to  be  the  commander  of  the  ship. 

“ Who  are  those  two  men  forward  ? ” asked 
this  gentleman,  as  he  called  the  attention  of  the 
others  to  the  two  strangers. 

No  one  knew  who  they  were,  and  the  captain 
continued  to  advance,  looking  very  sharply  at 
Christy,  or  at  his  uniform.  The  lieutenant  thought 
he  had  seen  the  gentleman  before,  for  it  was  quite 
impossible  entirely  to  forget  one  with  so  much 
character  in  his  face. 

“ I am  afraid  I shall  be  obliged  to  call  upon 


THE  CONFEDERATE  STEAMER  YAZOO  187 


you,  sir,  to  explain  how  you  and  your  companion 
happen  to  be  here,  for  I was  not  before  aware  of 
your  presence.” 

44  I shall  cheerfully  explain,  Captain  Carboneer,” 
replied  Christy,  recognizing  the  captain,  and  bow- 
ing politely. 

u Ah,  you  know  me  ? But  I have  not  the  pleas- 
ure of  your  acquaintance,  so  far  as  I can  remem- 
ber,^ added  the  captain. 

uWe  met  under  some  disadvantages  so  far  as 
you  are  concerned,  for  I had  the  satisfaction  of 
seeing  you,  though  you  did  not  see  me,”  replied 
the  lieutenant,  looking  very  good-natured  in  spite 
of  his  situation  as  a prospective  prisoner. 

44  I must  beg  you  to  explain  still  further,  Mr. 
— I have  not  the  pleasure  of  knowing  your  name.” 

“ Passford,  sir  ; Christopher  Passford,  midship- 
man in  the  United  States  Navy,  and  at  present 
third  lieutenant  of  the  steamer  Bellevite,  which 
you  can  hardly  make  out  at  this  moment,  though 
I remember  that  you  have  seen  her  before,”  an- 
' swered  Christy,  telling  the  whole  story,  as  indeed 
his  uniform  had  already  done,  so  far  as  his  rank 
was  concerned. 

44 1 am  very  happy  to  meet  you  under  present 


188 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


circumstances,  Mr.  Passford,  though  I am  not  yet 
informed  where  I met  you  before.” 

“ Perhaps  you  did  not  exactly  meet  me,  Captain 
Carboneer ; but,  at  any  rate,  we  were  in  the  same 
boat  together.” 

“ I suppose  we  met,  if  at  all,  on  the  Hudson,  in 
connection  with  the  Bellevite.  Your  people  have 
not  been  as  fortunate  to-day  with  their  gunnery 
practice  as  on  that  occasion,”  suggested  the  cap- 
tain. 

“ Now,  Captain  Carboneer,  will  you  kindly  in- 
form me  in  regard  to  the  status  of  this  vessel  ? Is 
she  a naval  vessel,  or  simply  a blockade  runner?  ” 
“ She  is  both ; and  I am  sorry  for  your  sake  to 
inform  you  that  you  are  a prisoner  of  war.” 

“ I supposed  I was.” 

u Perhaps  you  will  be  willing  to  inform  me 
what  became  of  Major  Pierson  and  Corny  Passford 
— the  latter  a cousin  of  yours,  I believe  ? ” 

“ Like  myself,  the  major  is  a prisoner  of  war. 
Corny  was  injured  in  the  disaster  to  the  Vampire, 
as  you  are  aware  ; he  is  also  a prisoner,  but  on 
parole,  remaining  at  my  father’s  house  to  be 
healed.” 

“ I have  to  regret  to-day  more  than  ever  before 


THE  CONFEDERATE  STEAMER  YAZOO  189 


that  we  failed  to  capture  the  Bellevite,  for  I find 
that  she  is  even  faster  than  the  Yazoo/’  added  the 
captain. 

“ The  Yazoo  ? ” 

“ Formerly  the  Killbright,  but  now  the  Yazoo.” 

At  this  moment  an  officer  came  up  and  spoke  to 
Captain  Carboneer.  As  both  of  them  looked  aft, 
Christy  did  the  same,  and,  after  studying  the 
speck  he  saw  on  the  ocean,  he  was  satisfied  that  it 
was  the  Bellevite,  coming  down  upon  the  Yazoo 
with  all  her  speed. 


190 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


CHAPTER  XVII 

A SATISFACTORY  ORDER 

Whatever  had  happened  to  the  Bellevite,  it 
was  plain  enough  now  to  Christy  that  she  had  re- 
paired the  injury,  for  the  speck  in  the  distance  was 
assuming  the  form  of  a steamer.  The  discovery 
was  not  calculated  to  fan  the  hopes  of  Captain 
Carboneer  and  his  officers,  though  the  two  Union- 
ists on  board  of  the  Yazoo  were  elated.  The 
chase  was  continued  till  the  middle  of  the  after- 
noon, when  the  Bellevite  opened  fire  with  her 
heavy  midship  gun. 

“ Mr.  Passford,  your  ship  has  opened  fire  upon 
us,  and  I will  not  compel  you  to  expose  yourself 
to  it,”  said  Captain  Carboneer,  as  one  of  the  shots 
from  the  Bellevite  dropped  into  the  water  near  the 
Yazoo.  “You  are  at  liberty  to  retire  to  any  part 
of  the  vessel  you  desire,  with  your  companion.” 

“ Thank  you,  sir  ; you  are  very  kind  ; and  as  I 
don’t  care  to  be  shot  by  my  friends,  I will  go 
below,”  replied  Christy. 


A SATISFACTORY  ORDER 


191 


It  was  hardly  safer  below  than  on  deck,  and  it 
was  not  likely  that  the  resolute  commander  of  the 
Yazoo  would  allow  her  to  be  captured  as  long  as 
he  could  make  any  resistance.  Christy  got  the 
idea  from  the  decision  he  had  observed  in  the  face 
and  expression  of  Captain  Carboneer,  that  the  only 
way  to  capture  the  steamer  would  be  to  knock  her 
to  pieces.  He  expected  to  be  saved  from  the  fate 
of  a prisoner  of  war,  but  he  was  not  ready  to  be- 
lieve that  the  Yazoo  would  be  sent  to  the  North 
as  a prize.  She  had  not  half  the  force  of  the 
Bellevite,  either  in  men  or  guns,  and  it  had  been 
proved  that  her  speed  could  not  save  her.  But 
all  the  chances  of  accidents  were  to  be  incurred, 
and  no  one  could  predict  the  final  result. 

Christy  and  Beeks  went  below,  and  seated  them- 
selves in  the  wardroom  of  the  ship.  It  looked  as 
though  it  had  been  altered  from  the  dining-saloon 
of  a passenger  steamer  for  its  present  use.  But  the 
vessel  was  an  elegant  affair,  and  Christy  thought 
it  was  evident  from  what  he  saw  that  she  had  been 
built  for  a steam-yacht  by  some  British  magnate. 
She  was  not  more  than  two-thirds  as  large  as  the 
Bellevite. 

The  sound  of  the  firing  indicated  that  the  Belle- 


192 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


vite  was  gaining  on  the  chase  even  more  rapidly 
than  in  the  morning.  At  the  end  of  a couple  of 
hours  more  she  seemed  to  be  within  a mile,  or  per- 
haps less.  The  Yazoo  was  shaking  in  every  fibre 
of  her  steel  body,  and  it  was  plain  that  Captain 
Carboneer  was  straining  her  to  the  utmost  to  ef- 
fect his  escape. 

“ It  is  beginning  to  warm  up  a little,”  said 
Beeks,  as  he  tried  to  look  out  at  one  of  the  round 
ports  of  the  wardroom. 

“ It  will  be  hotter  than  this  before  we  see  the 
end  of  it,”  replied  Christy.  “ Can  you  see  any- 
thing ? ” 

“ Not  a thing;  of  course  the  Bellevite  is  astern 
of  us,”  added  Beeks.  “ But  the  Yazoo  is  not 
using  her  guns.” 

“ How  can  she  ? She  has  not  fired  a shot  for 
some  time,  and  she  cannot  without  coming  to.  I 
should  say  she  might  as  well  do  one  thing  as 
another.  She  can’t  run  away  from  the  Bellevite, 
and  she  may  as  well  take  her  chances  in  a fight  as 
a run.” 

“ But  the  Bellevite  does  not  seem  to  be  handling 
her  great  gun  at  a very  lively  rate,”  suggested 
Beeks. 


A SATISFACTORY  ORDER 


193 


u I suppose  Captain  Breaker  wants  to  save  all 
he  can  of  the  Yazoo,  and  he  knows  that  he  can 
knock  her  all  to  pieces  when  he  decides  that  it  is 
necessary.” 

“ What  is  all  that  racket  on  deck  ? ” asked 
Beeks. 

“ Probably  they  are  getting  a couple  of  stern 
chasers  ready  for  use,”  answered  Christy  ; and 
this  explanation  was  soon  proved  to  be  correct  by 
the  report  of  a gun  at  the  stern  of  the  Yazoo. 

For  the  next  half-hour,  the  firing  from  the  Belle- 
vite  was  more  rapid,  and  several  crashes,  produced 
by  the  striking  of  shot,  were  heard.  It  was  soon 
apparent  that  one  of  the  stern  chasers  had  been 
disabled;  and  after  a while  the  other  ceased  its 
noise.  Beeks  was  so  excited  that  he  left  the 
wardroom,  and  found  his  way  into  what  proved  to 
be  the  captain’s  cabin.  More  than  one  shot  had 
come  into  it,  and  made  no  little  havoc.  He  found 
a port  there  through  which  he  obtained  a view  of 
the  Bellevite.  Whatever  damage  had  been  done 
to  her,  her  engine  was  in  perfect  order,  for  she 
was  driving  ahead  at  her  best  speed. 

The  quartermaster  reported  what  he  had  seen  to 
Christy,  though  it  proved  nothing  except  that  the 


194 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


Bellevite  was  all  right,  but  everything  began  to 
look  more  hopeful  to  the  occupants  of  the  ward- 
room. They  had  only  to  wait,  for  they  could  do 
nothing.  The  pursuer  had  ceased  to  discharge  her 
guns,  and  those  of  the  Yazoo  were  useless  under 
present  circumstances. 

The  situation  was  becoming  more  exciting  on 
the  deck  of  the  Yazoo,  judging  by  the  sounds 
that  came  from  it.  Then  it  was  evident  that  the 
Bellevite  had  returned  to  her  former  tactics,  and 
was  coming  alongside  with  the  intention  of  board- 
ing. Loud  yells  and  fierce  cries  followed,  and 
then  came  the  noise  of  a hand-to-hand  struggle  on 
the  deck.  It  was  of  short  duration,  for  the  ship’s 
company  of  the  Yazoo  were  outnumbered  at  least 
two  to  one. 

“I  suppose  we  may  go  on  deck  now,”  said  Beeks. 

“ I should  judge  that  the  fight  was  over,”  replied 
Christy,  as  he  led  the  way  out  of  the  wardroom. 

At  the  companion-way  they  found  two  sailors 
assisting  Captain  Carboneer  to  his  cabin.  His 
face  was  covered  with  blood,  and  he  looked  very 
pale.  The  surgeon  was  close  by  him.  Christy 
felt  sincerely  sorry  for  the  commander,  for  he  was 
a noble  and  upright  man.  His  protest  had  pre- 


A SATISFACTORY  ORDER 


195 


vented  Major  Pierson  from  attempting  to  carry 
out  whatever  plan  he  had  in  his  mind  for  the 
abduction  of  Florry  Passford,  and  the  young  offi- 
cer felt  grateful  to  him. 

“ Ah,  Mr.  Passford,  the  luck  is  on  your  side 
again,”  said  the  wounded  commander,  when  he 
saw  Christy. 

“ Of  course,  I rejoice  that  it  is  so,  but  I am  sin- 
cerely sorry  that  you  are  wounded,”  replied  Christy. 
UI  must  thank  you  for  your  interference  in  behalf 
of  my  sister  in  opposition  to  the  scheme  of  Major 
Pierson.” 

“ How  could  you  know  anything  about  that?” 
asked  the  commander,  bracing  himself  up. 

“ I heard  the  whole  of  it.” 

“ I see  ; but  I did  not  consider  that  Major  Pier- 
son contemplated  any  ruffianism,”  added  Captain 
Carboneer,  as  the  surgeon  urged  him  to  go  into 
his  cabin. 

Christy  hastened  on  deck,  and  was  warmly 
received  by  his  fellow-officers  there.  He  reported 
on  board  to  Captain  Breaker  without  any  delay, 
and  was  warmly  congratulated  on  his  escape.  He 
returned  to  his  duty  at  once.  Paul  Yapoor  was 
inclined  to  hug  him  when  he  met  him. 


196 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ I felt  like  a prisoner  of  war,”  said  Christy, 
when  he  had  told  his  brief  story.  “ The  Bellevite 
was  disabled,  and  I supposed  it  was  all  up  with 
me.” 

“ A shot  from  the  Killbright  damaged  our  rud- 
der, so  that  we  could  not  steer  her ; though  we 
repaired  the  mischief  after  a considerable  delay,” 
replied  the  engineer.  “ But  we  have  the  prize.” 

“ She  was  intended  for  a cruiser,  and  they  call 
her  the  Yazoo.” 

“ Whatever  her  name,  she  will  not  be  a cruiser 
on  that  side.” 

The  captured  vessel  was  carefully  surveyed; 
she  had  been  considerably  damaged  in  the  contest, 
but  she  was  still  seaworthy,  and  Mr.  Blowitt  was 
appointed  prize-master  to  take  her  to  New  York. 
All  the  arrangements  were  Speedily  completed, 
and,  when  the  prize  had  sailed  for  her  destination, 
Christy  became  the  acting  second  lieutenant. 

For  the  next  month  the  Bellevite  cruised  in 
search  of  such  craft  as  the  Killbright,  and  then  she 
took  her  place  on  the  blockade  off  Mobile  Bay,  to 
which  she  had  been  ordered.  Mr.  Blowitt  and  the 
prize-crew  had  returned,  and  all  the  damage  done 
by  the  guns  of  the  Yazoo  had  been  repaired,  so 


A SATISFACTORY  ORDER 


197 


that  the  Bellevite  was  in  as  good  condition  as 
when  she  left  the  Navy  Yard  at  Brooklyn.  She 
captured  several  schooners,  but  no  very  important 
prize.  Many  of  the  officers  were  disgusted  with 
the  inactivity  of  the  service. 

In  a letter  from  his  father,  Christy  obtained  the 
information  that  the  Bellevite  was  likely  to  be 
ordered  to  duty  as  a cruiser,  for  which  her  great 
speed  adapted  her  better  than  any  other  vessel  in 
the  navy.  This  was  cheering  news  to  the  discon- 
tented ones.  But  before  any  orders  to  this  effect 
was  received,  the  ship  was  ordered  to  proceed  to 
Pensacola,  where  a very  fast  steamer  was  said  to 
be  awaiting  an  opportunity  to  get  to  sea. 

The  position  of  the  steamer  was  ascertained  with 
no  little  difficulty  ; but  it  was  protected  by  the 
guns  of  the  forts.  Captain  Breaker  desired  to 
obtain  better  information  in  regard  to  the  Teaser, 
as  the  negroes  said  she  was  called.  She  was  quite 
small,  and  carried  only  a single  long  gun,  and  it 
was  suspected  that  she  was  a privateer.  On  the 
evening  of  the  Bellevite’s  arrival,  the  weather  was 
rainy,  foggy,  and  thick.  It  was  just  the  night  for 
a blockade  runner,  and  the  captain  believed  that 
an  attempt  would  be  made  to  get  out  at  this  time. 


198 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


The  Unionists  held  Fort  Pickens,  and  the  Con- 
federates the  forts  on  the  mainland.  The  negroes 
said  the  Teaser  was  anchored  at  the  mouth  of  the 
lagoon,  or  very  near  it.  This  was  not  very  definite, 
even  if  it  were  accepted  as  true.  It  was  very  im- 
portant that  the  Teaser  should  not  be  permitted  to 
get  out  of  the  bay,  for  she  might  do  a great  deal  of 
mischief  to  the  shipping  of  the  nation. 

“ I don’t  believe  the  stories  of  the  negroes,  ’ said 
Captain  Breaker,  as  he  was  discussing  the  situation 
with  his  officers.  u I know  the  port  very  well,  and 
I have  no  idea  where,  the  mouth  of  the  lagoon  is,  or 
even  if  it  has  any  mouth  in  Pensacola  Bay.” 

“ Wherever  the  Teaser  may  be  waiting  her 
chance,  this  is  a good  night  for  a start,”  replied  Mr. 
Dashington. 

“ Of  course  the  officers  of  Fort  Pickens  are  on 
the  lookout  for  the  saucy  little  craft,”  added  Mr. 
Blowitt. 

“ Captain  Westover  is  still  on  board,  and  you 
are  to  send  him  to  the  fort,  are  you  not,  Captain 
Breaker  ? ” asked  Christy. 

“ Yes  ; as  soon  as  he  is  ready  to  go,”  replied  the 
captain.  “ He  has  given  all  the  information  he 
has  in  regard  to  the  Teaser ; but  he  has  not  seen 


A SATISFACTORY  ORDER 


199 


her  to-day,  and  he  does  not  believe  she  is  in  the 
lower  bay,  but  that  she  is  somewhere  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Navy  Yard.” 

“ If  you  will  excuse  me,  Captain  Breaker,  I don’t 
believe  she  means  to  come  out  by  the  main  channel, 
for  her  people  know  that  the  eyes  of  the  officers  of 
Fort  Pickens  are  wide  open,”  suggested  Christy, 
with  a good  deal  of  diffidence. 

“ How  do  you  think  she  will  come  out,  Mr.  Pass- 
ford  ? ” asked  the  captain,  with  a smile. 

“ By  Santa  Rosa  Sound,  sir,”  replied  the  third 
lieutenant. 

“ Possibly  you  are  right,  Mr.  Passford,  though 
I do  not  think  you  are,”  added  the  commander, 
thoughtfully.  “ Santa  Rosa  Sound  is  about  forty 
miles  long,  and  there  is  hardly  water  enough  in  it, 
up  and  down,  to  float  a raft,  to  say  nothing  of  a 
steamer.” 

But  later  in  the  day,  the  captain  called  Christy 
aside,  and  had  a long  talk  with  him,  the  charts 
open  before  them.  It  certainly  did  not  look  like  a 
very  hopeful  enterprise  to  take  a steamer  through 
such  a sound  as  that  described. 

“ But  we  have  no  correct  information  in  regard 
to  the  anchorage  of  the  Teaser,  and  I have  decided 


200 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


to  obtain  it  if  possible.  1 propose  to  send  you  to 
look  into  the  matter,  Mr.  Passford,”  added  the  cap- 
tain, settling  the  question  in  that  way.  “ Select 
your  own  boat  and  crew.  But  if  the  Teaser  gets 
by  Fort  Pickens,  we  may  have  to  chase  her  to  sea, 
and  if  on  your  return  you  do  not  find  the  Belle- 
vite,  you  and  your  men  will  remain  at  Fort 
Pickens.” 

Christy  was  entirely  satisfied  with  this  order. 


LIEUTENANT  PASSFOKD  IN  COMMAND  201 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

LIEUTENANT  PASSFOKD  IN  COMMAND 

Chkisty  felt  as  much  honored  by  the  confidence 
reposed  in  him  by  the  captain  as  though  he  had 
been  appointed  to  the  command  of  a steamer.  But 
he  had  more  than  once  proved  that  he  could  be 
safely  trusted,  and  demonstrated  that  he  had  judg- 
ment, discretion,  and  skill  beyond  his  years.  He 
was  not  only  brave  and  resolute,  but  he  was  faith- 
ful and  patriotic. 

He  went  about  among  the  ship’s  company  and 
selected  the  men  he  desired  to  assist  him  in  his 
enterprise,  and  requested  those  chosen  to  say  noth- 
ing about  the  matter,  for  the  lieutenant  was  aware 
that  he  should  have  more  volunteers  than  he  could 
accommodate  in  the  largest  of  the  boats.  All  would 
want  to  go,  and  the  young  officer  would  be  teased 
and  coaxed,  and  all  sorts  of  influence  brought  to 
bear  upon  him  to  permit  this  and  that  one  to  be  of 


202  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 

the  party.  It  was  easier  to  be  silent  than  it  was 
to  reply  to  all  the  applications. 

Christy  selected  a large  whaleboat  for  the  ser- 
vice in  which  he  was  to  be  employed,  and  he  had 
his  own  reasons  for  the  choice  he  made.  He  had 
received  unlimited  authority  to  adopt  his  own 
measures.  The  only  point  that  was  strongly  im- 
pressed upon  his  mind  by  the  captain  was  that 
the  Teaser  must  be  captured. 

After  supper  the  order  was  given  to  the  third 
lieutenant  to  convey  Captain  Westover  back  to 
the  fort,  or  to  land  him  at  the  usual  place  near  it. 
Nothing  was  thought  of  the  order,  though  perhaps 
some  of  the  officers  considered  a dozen  seamen,  all 
armed  with  cutlasses  and  revolvers,  a large  boat’s 
crew  for  such  a service.  It  was  very  thick  weather, 
and  Captain  Westover  begged  Christy  not  to  land 
him  within  the  enemy’s  lines,  which  he  promised 
not  to  do. 

The  men  gave  way,  and  the  boat  went  off  into 
the  gloom  of  the  evening.  Beeks  gave  his  whole 
attention  to  the  course  of  the  boat,  and  Lieutenant 
Passford  was  engaged  in  a very  earnest  conversa- 
tion with  the  military  passenger.  The  landing- 
place  seemed  to  be  reached  too  soon,  for  Christy 


LIEUTENANT  PASSEOKD  IN  COMMAND  203 


had  not  finished  his  business.  He  landed  with 
him,  and  together  they  went  to  the  fort,  where 
the  young  officer  had  a conversation  with  the  com- 
mander of  the  force  there. 

“ I hope  you  will  not  get  into  hot  water,  Mr. 
Passford,”  said  Captain  Westover,  as  he  came  to 
the  sallyport  with  him. 

“ I cannot  say  that  I shall  not,”  replied  Christy, 
“ but  I shall  do  the  best  I can  to  report  on  board 
of  the  ship  with  the  force  intrusted  to  me ; and  I 
hope  I shall  have  the  Teaser  with  me.” 

“ I hope  you  will.  There  are  several  small 
steamers  up  in  the  bay ; but  I have  not  the  least 
idea  where  you  will  have  to  look  for  the  Teaser, 
for  we  at  the  fort  have  not  seen  any  such  steamer 
lately.” 

“ There  can  be  no  doubt  of  her  existence,  Cap- 
tain Westover,  for  the  Bellevite  was  sent  here  to 
look  out  for  her,  as  her  speed  is  said  to  be  remark- 
able. But,  good-night,  captain.” 

“ Good-night,  lieutenant ; success  to  you,  and  a 
safe  return,”  added  the  captain. 

“ Thank  you,”  answered  Christy,  as  he  hurried 
down  to  the  landing-place. 

Among  those  whom  the  lieutenant  had  selected 


204 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


was  a master’s  mate  by  the  name  of  Flint,  who 
had  assisted  on  board  of  the  Bellevite  in  the  affair 
with  the  Vampire.  He  was  a modest,  quiet  man, 
who  made  no  especial  figure  among  his  shipmates, 
though  he  had  strongly  attracted  the  attention  of 
his  officer.  Next  to  Christy  he  was  the  highest  in 
rank,  and  the  second  in  command.  Beeks  was  the 
next  man  selected,  and  he  had  done  all  that  was 
necessary  in  the  preparation  of  the  boat,  including 
putting  into  it  slyly  a supply  of  provisions,  and 
a number  of  articles  which  the  lieutenant  had 
designated,. 

On  his  return  to  the  boat,  Christy  found  his 
crew  in  excellent  order,  for  he  had  instructed 
Flint  to  allow  no  noise  or  disorder,  as  sailors  and 
young  men  generally  are  somewhat  given  to  sky- 
larking when  not  under  the  eye  of  a commissioned 
officer.  Christy  took  his  place  with  Flint  in  the 
stern  sheets  of  the  boat,  and  ordered  Beeks,  who 
was  acting  as  coxswain,  to  shove  off  and  give  way. 

“ I have  no  instructions  yet,  sir,”  replied  Beeks, 
as  he  obeyed  the  order,  and  headed  the  boat  away 
from  the  shore. 

“We  have  to  make  two  miles  east  by  south,  and 
that  course  will  carry  us  parallel  with  the  shore  of 


LIEUTENANT  PASSFOKD  IN  COMMAND  205 


Santa  Rosa  Island,  variation  included,”  replied 
Christy,  who  had  been  a diligent  student  of  the 
chart,  and  had  written  down  all  that  it  was  im- 
portant for  him  to  remember,  though  he  had  one  of 
his  own  charts,  or  a piece  of  one,  in  the  boat. 

“ East  by  south,  sir,”  replied  Beeks,  as  he  put 
the  whaleboat  on  the  required  course. 

Thus  far,  Christy  had  kept  his  own  counsel,  and 
not  whispered  a word  of  his  intentions  even  to  the 
master’s  mate.  He  had  no  motive  for  such  heroic 
concealment  of  his  plan,  but  he  had  not  had  the 
time  to  discuss  it  with  any  person.  Besides, 
though  he  had  decided  upon  his  course  in  the 
beginning,  he  was  too  much  in  the  dark  himself 
to"  lay  down  a definite  plan  ; and  his  course  must 
depend  largely  upon  the  information  he  obtained 
from  time  to  time. 

He  had  examined  the  charts  and  the  Coast  Pilot 
very  carefully  ; and  the  facts  he  had  obtained  from 
the  latter  rather  staggered  him  in  regard  to  the 
idea  he  had  advanced  that  the  Teaser  might  go 
out  through  Santa  Rosa  Sound.  It  was  not  navi- 
gable for  vessels  with  a draught  of  over  four  feet, 
and  it  would  have  to  be  a very  small  man-of-war 
that  could  float  in  that  depth.  Though  it  was  now 


206 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


the  time  of  the  spring  tides,  they  did  not  add 
more  than  six  inches  to  the  height  of  the  mean 
tide,  which  was  but  a couple  of  inches  over  two 
feet. 

Even  before  he  took  his  place  in  the  boat  along- 
side the  ship,  he  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  Teaser,  if  she  proved  to  be  anything  more  than 
a toy  boat,  could  not  go  to  sea  through  the  sound, 
and  she  was  not  likely  to  attempt  it.  He  had 
said  as  much  as  this  to  Captain  Breaker,  who 
reminded  him  that  he  was  to  ascertain  if  possible 
what  the  craft  intended  to  do,  if  he  succeeded  in 
finding  her. 

Flint  did  not  manifest  any  desire  to  know  more 
than  the  law  allowed,  and  he  asked  no  questions 
in  regard  to  the  enterprise  in  which  he  was  en- 
gaged. In  fact,  one  reason  why  he  was  chosen 
was  because  he  had  an  excellent  habit  of  minding 
his  own  business.  Possibly  Christy  was  more 
particular  on  this  point  than  an  older  officer  would 
have  been. 

“ I think  we  have  made  two  miles,  Mr.  Pass- 
ford,”  said  Beeks,  when  the  men  had  pulled  about 
an  hour.  “ Of  course,  I cannot  be  sure  of  the 
distance  run,  for  I can  only  guess  at  it.” 


LIEUTENANT  PASSFORD  IN  COMMAND  207 


“ Run  up  to  the  shore,  then,  and  let  us  see  how 
far  off  we  are,”  added  Christy. 

In  a few  minutes  the  bottom  of  the  boat  struck 
on  the  sand,  and  it  was  forced  up  far  enough  to 
permit  the  lieutenant  to  go  on  shore.  Like  most 
of  the  islands  in  this  part  of  the  gulf,  Santa  Rosa 
was  nothing  but  sand,  which  in  the  eastern  end  is 
of  a peculiar  reddish  hue.  It  is  little  more  than  a 
sand  spit  for  its  whole  length,  though  in  some 
places  the  wind  has  piled  up  mounds,  or  dunes. 

“Come  with  me,  if  you  please,  Flint,”  said 
Christy,  as  he  leaped  to  the  shore. 

Flint  followed  him,  as  usual  asking  no  ques- 
tions, and,  if  he  had  any  curiosity  in  regard  to  the 
purposes  of  his  leader,  he  did  not  manifest  it. 
The  lieutenant  glanced  at  the  trend  of  the  shore, 
and  then  walked  at  right  angles  with  it.  No  part 
of  the  island  was  inhabited,  or  even  occupied,  except 
Fort  Pickens  and  a Union  camp.  It  was  a dismal 
place,  especially  in  the  fog  and  darkness. 

A short  walk  brought  the  explorers  to  the 
waters  of  Pensacola  Bay.  It  was  in  vain  that 
they  tried  to  penetrate  the  gloom  and  the  mist, 
and  nothing  could  be  seen.  Flint  expressed  him- 
self to  this  effect. 


208  WITHIN  THE  enemy’s  LINES 

“ I did  not  expect  to  see  anything,”  replied 
Christy.  “ I only  came  across  here  to  find  how 
wide  the  island  was  at  this  point.  I am  satisfied 
that  we  are  about  where  I supposed  we  were. 
Half  a mile  to  the  westward  of  us  the  island  is 
more  than  double  the  breadth  it  is  here.” 

“ I see,  sir ; if  you  had  found  it  much  wider 
than  it  is,  you  would  have  known  that  you  had 
not  gone  far  enough  in  the  boat,”  replied  Flint. 

“ Precisely  so  ; I wanted  to  find  where  we  were 
before  I changed  the  course  in  going  farther  to 
the  eastward,”  added  Christy. 

Flint  made  no  further  remark,  and  they  returned 
to  the  boat,  and  seated  themselves  in  their  places. 
The  lieutenant  gave  the  order  to  shove  off. 

“ We  are  in  no  hurry,  Beeks;  if  the  men  are 
tired,  you  can  stop  longer  to  rest  them,”  con- 
tinued the  commander  of  the  expedition. 

The  men  scouted  the  idea  of  being  tired  after  a 
pull  of  two  miles  in  a comparatively  smooth  sea. 
Christy  told  them  that  they  might  have  some  very 
heavy  work  to  do  before  they  returned  to  the  ship, 
and  he  did  not  wish  to  use  up  their  strength  un- 
necessarily. 

“ Now,  keep  her  east  by  north  for  a couple  of 


LIEUTENANT  PASSFORD  IN  COMMAND  209 

miles,  Beeks,”  continued  Christy.  “ That  will  be 
as  far  as  we  have  occasion  to  go  in  this  direction. 
Don’t  hurry  them  ; take  it  easy,  for  it  will  not  be 
high  tide  till  half-past  twelve,  and  we  may  have 
more  time  than  we  shall  know  how  to  use.” 

The  crew  pulled  very  leisurely,  and  it  was  over 
an  hour  before  Beeks  estimated  that  they  had 
made  the  two  miles.  As  before,  Christy  and  Flint 
were  landed,  and  they  walked  across  the  island. 
But  their  walk  was  not  even  half  the  length  of  the 
last  one  ; and  the  spit  was  so  narrow  at  this  place 
that  the  lieutenant  was  confident  he  had  struck 
the  point  he  intended. 

“ This  is  our  base  of  operations,”  said  Christy, 
as  he  stood  on  the  shore  of  the  bay.  “ We  have 
got  along  very  well  so  far,  for  it  is  not  time  yet  for 
the  music  to  begin,  if  it  is  to  begin  at  all.  What 
are  you  about,  Flint  ? ” 

The  master’s  mate  had  lain  down  on  the  sand  at 
the  water’s  edge,  and  his  companion  was  very 
much  puzzled  by  his  attitude.  He  wondered  if 
his  companion  had  the  stomach-ache,  and  was  not 
able  to  stand  up. 

“ I beg  your  pardon,  Lieutenant  Passford,  but 
if  you  will  kindly  be  quiet  for  a moment,  I hope  to 


210 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


be  able  to  answer  your  question,”  replied  Flint,  in 
a low  tone. 

Christy  complied  with  the  request,  and  as  he  did 
so,  he  thought  he  heard  a noise  in  the  distance, 
though  he  was  not  sure  of  it.  He  listened  with 
all  his  ears,  and  some  confused  sounds  came  to 
him ; but  he  could  make  nothing  of  them. 

“ I heard  some  sort  of  a noise,”  said  Flint,  ris- 
ing from  his  recumbent  position.  “But  I can 
make  nothing  of  what  I hear.  If  there  was  a 
fresh  breeze,  I should  say  that  it  was  the  surf.” 

“ I heard  it,  too ; but  I am  bothered  to  make 
out  what  it  is.  Did  you  get  an  idea  of  any  kind  ? ” 
asked  Christy. 

“ It  sounded  as  though  something  of  a gang  of 
men  were  at  work  off  in  this  direction,”  replied 
Flint,  pointing  east  of  north.  “ I am  almost  sure 
I heard  the  blows  of  hammers,  or  something  like 
them.” 

“ The  noise  I heard  might  have  been  almost  any- 
thing,” added  Christy. 

“ What  is  there  off  in  that  direction  ? ” asked 
Flint,  pointing  again. 

“ About  north  of  us  is  Town  Point,  and  just 
beyond  it  is  Old  Navy  Cove,”  said  the  lieutenant, 


LIEUTENANT  PASSFOKD  IN  COMMAND  211 


who  had  been  up  the  bay  in  the  Belle vite  on  an 
excursion,  and  who  had  studied  up  all  the  locali- 
ties. 

“ Possibly  they  are  repairing  a vessel  there,” 
suggested  Flint. 

“ They  would  not  do  that  over  there,  and  cer- 
tainly not  on  a dark  night,”  argued  Christy. 
“But  we  will  soon  find  out  all  about  it.” 

He  led  the  way  back  to  the  boat,  which  he  had 
ordered  Beeks  to  have  carried  on  the  shore.  Then 
they  proceeded  to  bear  it  across  the  island  to  the 
bay,  where  it  was  put  into  the  water  again. 


212 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY*S  LINES 


CHAPTER  XIX 

SOME  TROUBLE  ON  BOARD  THE  TEASER 

It  was  not  a difficult  thing  for  so  many  men  to 
carry  the  whaleboat  across  the  island,  and  they 
were  disposed  to  make  merry  over  the  novelty 
of  the  task ; but  they  had  been  instructed  not  to 
speak  a loud  word  after  the  party  left  the  south 
side  of  the  island.  The  noise  to  which  Christy 
and  Flint  had  listened  indicated  that  something 
was  going  on,  though  they  could  not  decide  what 
it  was.  In  the  stillness  of  the  night,  and  in  the 
absence  of  any  roar  of  breakers,  sounds  could  be 
heard  a long  distance,  though  whether  they  came 
one  mile  or  two,  they  could  not  determine. 

“ Get  out  those  cloths,  Beeks,”  said  Christy, 
as  soon  as  the  boat  had  been  put  into  the  water. 
“ Every  oar  must  be  very  carefully  muffled,  and 
you  will  see  that  it  is  properly  done.” 

“ I will  have  it  done  in  a few  minutes,  sir,” 
replied  the  acting  coxswain. 


SOME  TROUBLE  ON  BOARD  THE  TEASER  213 


“ As  I said  before,  we  are  in  no  hurry,  and  you 
may  take  your  time  to  do  it  properly,”  added  the 
lieutenant. 

“ Those  sounds  are  still  to  be  heard,”  said  Flint, 
who  had  been  a short  distance  from  the  boat  to 
listen  for  them. 

“ I hear  them,”  replied  Christy,  walking  away 
from  the  boat  to  continue  the  investigation  while 
they  were  waiting.  “Some  kind  of  a job  is  in 
progress  at  no  great  distance  from  us.  From  how 
far  off  do  you  calculate  that  those  sounds  come  ? ” 

“ I think  they  must  come  a mile  ; and  I don’t 
believe  I can  guess  any  nearer  to  it  than  that, 
though  it  is  possible  they  come  two  miles.  I 
know  little  or  nothing  of  the  region  about  here. 
Suppose  we  should  go  a mile  north-northeast 
from  this  spot,  what  should  we  find  there,  Mr. 
Passford?”  asked  Flint,  apparently  greatly  inter- 
ested in  the  question. 

“ It  would  be  a point  on  Pensacola  Bay,  about 
half-way  between  this  island,  where  we  stand,  and 
Town  Point,”  replied  Christy.  “I  should  say  it 
would  be  in  the  channel  leading  into  Santa  Rosa 
Sound.” 

“ Precisely  so  ! ” exclaimed  Flint,  in  an  energetic 


214  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 

whisper.  “ That’s  the  way  they  are  going  to  take 
the  Teaser  out,  and  they  are  doing  something  over 
there  to  prepare  her  for  the  trip  in  shallow  water.” 

The  master’s  mate  was  not  aware  that  Christy 
had  suggested  to  the  captain  this  way  of  escape 
for  the  Teaser,  and  he  had  abandoned  the  idea 
himself.  Flint  had  reached  his  conclusion  from 
his  own  premises.  They  discussed  the  matter  for 
some  time,  though  it  was  impossible  to  arrive  at 
any  conclusion  for  the  want  of  data  on  which  to 
base  their  reasoning. 

“ All  ready,  sir,”  reported  Beeks,  coming  up  to 
them  at  this  moment. 

“ How  far  is  the  entrance  to  the  sound  from 
Fort  Pickens,  Mr.  Passford?”  asked  Flint. 

“ About  four  miles.” 

“ Then  why  should  they  choose  such  a night  as 
this  for  their  work  ? ” 

“ The  Belle vite,  floating  in  four  fathoms  of 
water  on  the  other  side  of  the  island,  could  shell 
them  out  if  they  were  seen,  as  they  certainly  would 
be  from  Fort  Pickens,”  replied  Christy. 

“ That  makes  it  plain  enough,”  added  Flint,  as 
they  walked  towards  the  boat. 

“ But  I am  not  quite  willing  to  believe  yet  that 


SOME  TROUBLE  ON  BOARD  THE  TEASER  215 


the  Teaser  will  go  out  through  the  sound.  If  she 
could  get  through  at  all,  it  would  only  be  after 
getting  aground  no  end  of  times,  and  if  to-morrow 
should  be  a clear  day,  she  could  be  seen  anywhere 
on  her  course,”  persisted  Christy.  “ She  cannot 
expect  to  make  eight  or  ten  knots  an  hour  in  that 
shallow  water.” 

The  lieutenant  ordered  the  men  into  the  boat, 
after  she  was  shoved  off  the  beach.  They  worked 
with  such  care  that  not  a sound  came  from  her. 
The  oars  were  shipped,  and  the  sailors  began  to 
row.  As  instructed,  they  pulled  very  slowly, 
though  such  work  could  not  be  done  in  perfect 
silence. 

“ Look  out  for  that  binnacle,  Beeks,”  said 
Christy.  “ The  light  from  it  may  betray  us.” 

“ You  have  not  given  me  the  course,  sir,”  replied 
the  coxswain,  as  he  obeyed  the  order. 

“ North-northeast,”  added  Christy,  as  he  settled 
back  in  the  stern  sheets. 

No  one  was  allowed  to  speak  in  the  boat,  and 
the  lieutenant  set  the  example  of  silence.  But  he 
kept  his  ears  wide  open,  though  the  little  noise 
made  by  the  oars  and  the  rippling  of  the  water 
prevented  him  from  hearing  anything  at  first.  It 


216 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


* was  so  dark  that  one  could  hardly  see  another  in 
the  boat.  It  was  in  vain  that  Christy  watched  in 
the  gloom  for  the  glow  of  a light ; for  all  was 
nearly  total  darkness  in  every  direction. 

In  about  half  an  hour  they  began  to  hear  the 
sounds  which  had  attracted  their  attention  on  the 
island,  and  they  proceeded  from  directly  ahead, 
indicating  that  the  operations,  whatever  they  were, 
came  from  the  entrance  to  the  sound.  The  work- 
men were  not  likely  to  hear  the  approach  of  the 
boat  while  they  were  making  so  much  noise  them- 
selves. In  addition  to  the  sounds  they  had  heard 
before,  they  recognized  the  noise  of  escaping  steam. 

This  last  discovery  made  it  certain  that  a 
steamer  was  there,  though  the  listeners  could  not 
know  whether  it  was  the  Teaser  or  not.  Both  of 
the  officers  of  the  expedition,  in  the  uselessness  of 
their  eyes,  made  the  best  use  they  could  of  their 
ears.  Christy  listened  to  ascertain  if  there  was 
more  than  one  steamer  present.  In  a whisper  he 
asked  Flint  to  consider  this  question.  There  was 
no  doubling  of  the  sounds  to  indicate  more  than 
one  steamer. 

For  ten  minutes  more  Christy  listened  and  was 
silent ; but  he  was  doing  some  very  heavy  think- 


SOME  TROUBLE  ON  BOARD  THE  TEASER  217 


ing,  for  by  this  time  the  boat  was  very  near  the 
scene  of  operations,  if  it  could  be  a scene  in  that 
dense  darkness.  Every  sound,  even  to  the  speech 
of  the  men,  could  be  distinctly  heard.  Still  noth- 
ing could  be  seen,  and  Christy  knew  that  there 
was  a point  of  nearness  where  something  could  be 
discerned  even  in  any  gloom  of  night.  He  per- 
mitted the  boat  to  continue  on  its  course,  till  he 
could  very  dimly  make  out  an  object  ahead. 

“ Way  enough,”  he  whispered  to  Beeks. 

The  coxswain  raised  both  hands,  and  made  a 
gesture  with  them,  which  was  the  signal  for  the 
men  to  cease  rowing.  The  sounds  were  now  more 
tangible.  Occasionally  there  were  a few  raps  with 
a hammer,  but  the  most  of  them  were  the  orders  of 
the  person  in  charge. 

“ I don’t  believe  there  are  more  than  a dozen 
men  there,”  whispered  Flint. 

“ More  than  that,  I should  say ; but  even  if 
there  are  two  dozen,  it  is  all  the  same.  Take  off 
the  mufflers  from  the  oars,  Beeks,”  continued 
Christy.  “ Then  give  way  with  a will,  and  run 
for  whatever  may  come  in  sight.” 

Beeks  obeyed  the  order,  and  in  a couple  of  min- 
utes the  boat  was  driving  into  the  gloom  at  her 


218 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


ordinary  speed.  Something  came  into  view  a 
moment  later,  and  it  was  a small  steamer. 

“ Boat,  ahoy!”  shouted  some  one  from  the 
steamer. 

“ On  board  of  the  steamer  ! ” replied  Christy. 

“Are  you  the  pilot?”  demanded  the  speaker 
from  the  vessel. 

“ Ay,  ay,  sir,”  responded  the  lieutenant. 

“ I shall  not  want  you  now,”  continued  the  man 
on  the  steamer. 

“How  is  that?”  demanded  Christy,  as  though 
this  was  an  entirely  unexpected  reply. 

“ I have  concluded  to  make  my  way  out  through 
the  sound,  Gilder.” 

“ Then  my  name  is  Gilder,”  added  Christy,  in  a 
low  tone. 

“ I have  a plan  of  my  own,  and  I reckon  I shall 
make  it  go,”  proceeded  the  captain  of  the  steamer. 
“ The  Teaser  don’t  draw  much  water,  and  I know 
how  to  help  her  over  the  shoal  places.” 

“ When  do  you  expect  to  get  through  the 
sound?”  asked  Christy. 

“I  don’t  know  when  ; but  I shall  get  through.” 

“ But  you  will  find  a blockader  at  the  east  end 
of  the  island ; and  then  you  will  be  as  badly  off  as 
you  are  now,”  argued  Christy. 


SOME  TROUBLE  ON  BOARD  THE  TEASER  219 


“ I don’t  believe  there  is  any  blockader  there. 
Who  are  all  those  men  in  the  boat  with  you, 
Gilder?” 

“ They  belong  to  the  water  guard,”  replied 
Christy,  at  a venture,  and  he  thought  that  would 
describe  them  as  well  as  any  terms  at  his  com- 
mand. “ They  expected  you  to  go  out  by  the 
main  channel  to-night.” 

“No  lie  in  that,”  chuckled  Flint. 

“ I wish  they  would  come  on  board  of  the 
Teaser  and  help  me  out,  for  my  men  won’t  work.” 

“ How  many  men  have  you?  ” asked  the  lieuten- 
ant. 

“ Just  fifteen  ; the  rest  of  my  crew  were  to  come 
on  board  at  midnight,  half  an  hour  before  high  tide. 
But  the  men  I have  with  me  won’t  work,  and  I 
shall  not  be  ready  for  them,  I am  afraid.” 

“ What  is  the  reason  they  won’t  work  ? ” 

“ They  say  they  shipped  to  fight  the  Yankees, 
and  they  are  not  going  to  do  such  work  as  lighting 
up  the  steamer.” 

“ Perhaps  we  can  bring  them  to  their  senses,” 
said  Christy,  as  he  ordered  Beeks  to  give  way 
again. 

A few  strokes  of  the  oars  enabled  the  officers  in 


220 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


the  stern  sheets  to  obtain  a full  view  of  the  Teaser, 
and  she  looked  like  a trim  little  steamer  of  about 
two  hundred  tons.  She  was  rather  long,  and  she 
had  a very  sharp  bow.  The  reports  gave  her  the 
reputation  of  being  a very  fast  sailer. 

“ Let  every  man  have  his  arms  in  order,”  said 
Christy  impressively,  in  a low  tone.  “ Give  way 
with  a will,  and  when  you  unship  your  oars  have 
your  weapons  ready,  though  I hardly  think  you 
will  have  to  use  them  at  present.” 

As  the  boat  dashed  towards  the  little  steamer, 
the  sounds  of  an  altercation  came  over  the  water. 
The  angry  voice  of  the  captain,  if  the  late  speaker 
was  the  captain,  and  several  others  were  heard  in 
a dispute  ; and  as  the  boat  came  alongside  the  re- 
port of  a pistol  indicated  that  the  belligerents 
were  in  earnest. 

Christy  sprang  upon  the  deck  of  the  Teaser,  with 
his  revolver  in  his  hand.  Half  a dozen  men  stood 
in  a group  by  the  side  of  the  engine-room,  con- 
fronting the  man  who  had  done  the  talking  with 
the  boat,  as  Christy  knew  by  the  sound  of  his 
voice. 

“ We  are  not  held  by  any  papers  we  signed!” 
protested  one  of  the  men  forward.  “We  are  will- 


SOME  TROUBLE  ON  BOARD  THE  TEASER  221 


ing  to  do  our  duty,  Captain  Folkner,  but  we 
did  not  ship  to  burrow  through  the  sand,  and  run 
the  risk  of  being  captured  by  the  Yankees.  We 
shipped  to  run  the  blockade,  and  that  risk  is  in 
the  papers.” 

“I  shall  take  my  vessel  out  as  I think  best, 
Lonley ; and  my  men  are  not  to  dictate  to  me 
what  I am  to  do,”  replied  Captain  Folkner 
angrily. 

“I  am  willing  to  leave  it  to  Captain  Gilder. 
You  know  as  well  as  I do  that  the  rest  of  the 
ship’s  company  would  not  come  on  board  till  the 
Teaser  was  outside  of  Santa  Rosa  Island.  We 
appeal  to  you,  Captain  Gilder,”  said  Lonley. 

“ Why  do  you  object  to  going  out  through  Santa 
Rosa  Sound?”  asked  Christy,  willing  to  do  the 
fair  thing,  since  the  mutineers  had  appealed  to 
him. 

“ The  Teaser  draws  ten  feet  of  water  with  her 
coal  in,  and  she  cannot  get  through  the  sound  in  a 
week,  if  ever.” 

“ Are  you  willing  to  go  to  sea  by  running  the 
blockade,  Lonley  ? ” 

“ Perfectly  willing ; and  so  are  the  whole  ship’s 
company.” 


222 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ But  I won’t  take  the  risk  of  running  the  block- 
ade. They  put  a fast  steamer  on  there  to-day,  and 
it  is  useless,”  replied  Captain  Folkner. 

The  situation  was  certainly  interesting  to  Christy 
and  his  companions. 


COMING  TO  THE  POINT 


223 


CHAPTER  XX 

COMING  TO  THE  POINT 

Captain  Folkner  of  the  Teaser  was  evidently 
somewhat  timid,  and  he  had  heard  of  the  arrival 
of  the  Belle  vite.  Just  now  the  large  ships-of-war 
which  had  been  there  were  absent  on  their  duty, 
though  they  were  expected  to  return  at  any  time. 
There  was  liable  to  be  some  unpleasantness  at  any 
time  between  Fort  Pickens  and  Fort  Barrancas; 
but  everything  was  quiet  just  now. 

Flint  had  come  on  board  of  the  Teaser  with 
Christy,  but  none  of  the  boat’s  crew  had  attended 
them.  The  situation  was  very  novel  to  the  lieu- 
tenant, and  he  did  not  feel  competent  to  arbitrate 
between  the  contending  parties.  Besides,  he  was 
not  willing  to  believe  that  he  could  be  entirely 
impartial,  for  he  had  a personal  and  patriotic  inter- 
est in  the  issue  of  the  quarrel. 

The  seamen,  under  the  leadership  of  Lonley, 
who  appeared  to  be  an  officer,  were  the  more  pow- 


224  WITHIN  THE  enemy’s  LINES 

erful  party,  and  the  more  to  be  dreaded.  He  was 
disposed  to  decide  against  them,  if  he  could  get 
them  out  of  the  way  by  doing  so.  They  were 
willing  to  leave  the  matter  to  him,  and  he  began 
at  last  to  see  his  way  through  it. 

“ The  captain  of  a ship  is  the  authority  to  be 
respected,  Lonley,”  said  he,  when  he  had  made  up 
his  mind  what  to  do. 

“We  might  as  well  bury  ourselves  in  the  sands 
as  try  to  go  through  there,”  replied  the  leader  of 
the  mutiny,  who  seemed  to  be  a very  intelligent 
man,  and  Christy  concluded  from  his  language 
and  manner  that  he  was  not  a common  sailor. 

“ That  may  be ; but  the  captain  is  supreme  on 
the  deck  of  his  own  ship,”  argued  Christy. 

“ We  are  not  on  the  high  seas,  and  the  Teaser 
has  not  yet  gone  into  commission.  It  was  only 
this  afternoon  in  Pensacola  that  Captain  Folkner 
told  his  ship’s  company  that  he  was  going  to  bur- 
row through  the  sand  in  Santa  Rosa  Sound.  We 
all  said  we  would  not  go  with  him ; but  a dozen  of 
us  came  down  with  him  when  he  told  us  that  he 
had  a way  to  float  the  steamer  through,  and  he  was 
sure  it  would  work.  We  did  not  understand  that 
we  were  to  become  mud-diggers.  When  we  got 


COMING  TO  THE  POINT 


225 


here,  we  were  satisfied  that  his  plan  amounted  to 
nothing,  and  would  not  work.” 

“ I am  satisfied  that  it  will  work,”  interposed 
Captain  Folkner. 

“ The  agreement  in  the  articles  was  to  run  the 
blockade.  If  we  got  through  the  sound,  it  would 
take  a week  of  constant  drudgery,  which  we  did 
not  ship  to  do.” 

“ Are  you  ready  to  do  duty  on  board  of  the 
Teaser  when  she  is  in  deep  water,  Lonley  ? ” asked 
Christy. 

“ Every  one  of  us ; and  every  one  of  the  party 
on  shore  ! ” protested  the  leader. 

“ Will  that  satisfy  you,  Captain  Folkner?  ” con- 
tinued Christy,  appealing  to  him. 

“ It  would  if  I had  the  steamer  in  deep  water,” 
replied  the  captain.  “ But  how  am  I to  get  her 
into  deep  water  if  my  crew  will  not  work?  ” 

“ Run  the  blockade,  according  to  the  articles  ! ” 
exclaimed  Lonley. 

“ When  are  the  rest  of  the  ship’s  company  to  join 
you?”  asked  Christy  of  the  leader  of  the  mutineers. 

“ They  are  coming  down  in  boats  at  midnight  or 
later ; and  we  shall  join  them  then  and  wait  till 
the  ship  is  ready  to  take  us  on  board.  They  will 


226 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


come  across  from  Pensacola  to  Navy  Cove,  and 
then  walk  till  they  come  to  the  Teaser.” 

44  All  right,”  said  the  lieutenant.  “ I will  land 
you  at  Navy  Cove,  and  you  can  wait  there  till  the 
rest  of  the  crew  come.” 

44  I am  perfectly  satisfied  with  that  arrange- 
ment,” replied  Lonley. 

44  But  I am  not,”  interposed  the  captain,  angrily. 
“ What  can  I do  without  any  crew  to  help  get  the 
steamer  through  the  sound  ? ” 

44  I have  men  enough  to  take  care  of  you  and 
the  Teaser,  Captain  Folkner ; and  the  men  in  the 
boat  will  do  everything  that  is  required  to  be  done 
on  board  of  the  Teaser.” 

46  That’s  another  thing,”  replied  the  captain, 
appeased  by  the  implied  promise. 

44  1 can  hardly  blame  your  men  because  they  are 
not  willing  to  go  through  the  sound  with  a 
steamer  drawing  ten  feet  of  water  when  there  is 
not  more  than  six  feet  of  water  to  float  her,”  said 
Christy.  44  Besides,  if  you  do  not  get  to  the  other 
end  of  the  sound  before  morning,  you  will  be  seen 
by  some  of  the  blockaders,  and  they  could  blow 
this  steamer  to  pieces,  and  kill  half  your  people 
in  a few  minutes.” 


COMING  TO  THE  POINT 


227 


“ It  may  be  dangerous,  but  so  is  running  the 
blockade,”  added  the  captain. 

“ Going  out  in  a dark  night  and  spending  a 
week  in  sight  of  the  blockaders  are  two  different 
things.  But  we  need  not  discuss  the  matter  any 
more.  I will  put  your  men  on  the  point  yonder, 
and  then  I will  return  and  help  you  out  of  your 
present  difficulty.  Am  I to  take  off  the  men  in 
the  engine  department  ? ” asked  Christy,  as  he 
went  to  the  side  where  the  boat  was. 

“No;  the  engineers  and  firemen  are  all  right, 
for  they  were  not  called  upon  to  do  any  work  out 
of  the  vessel.” 

Christy  and  Flint  stepped  into  the  boat,  and  the 
crew  followed  them.  There  were  twelve  of  them, 
and  the  lieutenant  thought  they  were  all  good  sea- 
men. He  did  not  like  to  have  them  reserved  for 
use  in  the  Confederate  Navy ; but  he  could  not 
help  himself  then,  and  he  soon  landed  the  party 
on  the  point.  The  situation  had  been  explained 
to  the  crew  of  the  boat,  and  they  had  avoided  say- 
ing anything  to  commit  themselves. 

Though  it  involved  a risk  to  do  it,  Christy  had 
dressed  in  an  ordinary  suit  of  clothes  for  the  occa- 
sion, and  the  party  wore  nothing  by  which  they 


228 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


could  be  identified  as  sailors  of  the  navy.  As 
soon  as  the  boat  had  landed  its  passengers,  it  re- 
turned to  the  Teaser  at  the  best  speed  the  crew 
could  produce. 

“ I had  no  idea  that  you  had  a plan  like  this  in 
your  head,  Mr.  Passford,”  said  Flint,  as  soon  as 
the  boat  was  clear  of  Town  Point. 

“I  did  not  know  it  myself,  Flint.  It  has  all 
grown  out  of  the  circumstances  as  we  found 
them,”  replied  Christy.  uBut  I did  intend,  if  I 
found  the  Teaser  without  a fighting  crew  on  board 
of  her,  to  capture  her  if  the  situation  warranted 
such  a step.” 

“ But  you  came  prepared  for  just  this  thing,” 
suggested  Flint. 

“ I came  prepared  for  anything.  I hoped  we 
might  be  able  to  capture  the  Teaser,  but  I did  not 
expect  it.” 

“ I suppose  you  expect  to  do  it  now.” 

“ Yes,  I do  ; and  I ought  to  be  broken  if  I don’t 
do  it.  I am  sorry  to  let  all  those  men  enter  the 
rebel  navy ; and  that  is  all  that  vexes  me  at  the 
present  moment.” 

“ Perhaps  they  can  be  picked  up  to-morrow,  or 
later  to-night,”  suggested  Flint.  “ From  what  I 


COMING  TO  THE  POINT 


229 


heard,  I think  she  was  to  have  a fighting  crew  of 
about  forty  men.  Of  course  they  will  try  to  join 
the  steamer  to-night  or  to-morrow ; and  why  not 
let  them  do  it?”  chuckled  Flint. 

“We  will  attend  to  this  affair  first,  but  I like 
the  idea.” 

They  reached  the  Teaser  in  due  time,  and  all 
hands  went  on  board  of  her.  Captain  Folkner, 
with  a couple  of  men  he  had  contrived  to  retain, 
with  two  firemen,  was  at  work  on  his  apparatus  to 
float  a vessel  drawing  ten  feet  in  six  feet  of  water 
or  less.  Alongside  he  had  a hundred  or  more  of 
empty  barrels  which  he  was  sinking  under  the 
sides  by  hauling  them  down  with  a line  under  the 
bottom  of  the  vessel.  He  did  the  work  partly 
with  his  windlass  worked  by  steam,  and  he  had 
lifted  the  bow  of  the  Teaser  at  least  three  feet  out 
of  water. 

Captain  Folkner  expatiated  with  enthusiasm  on 
his  plan,  and  explained  the  details  to  the  lieuten- 
ant. Christy  saw  that  he  had  considerable  mechan- 
ical genius,  but  he  certainly  lacked  a balance-wheel. 
The  officer  had  set  him  down  as  a timid  man,  but 
this  conversation  assured  him  that  the  captain  was 
a brave  man.  He  was  carried  away  with  his  idea, 


230 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


though  it  was  plain  that  he  had  not  examined  the 
question  in  all  its  bearings. 

“ When  I have  lifted  the  steamer  four  feet,  she 
can  go  through  the  sound,  for  I have  taken  a boat 
through  that  drew  six  feet.  With  your  men  to 
help  me,  I shall  get  the  casks  down  by  midnight, 
and  then  all  we  have  to  do  is  to  go  ahead,”  con- 
tinued the  enthusiast. 

“ Precisely  so;  and  the  Teaser  is  a screw 
steamer,”  added  Christy. 

“ Of  course  she  is ; you  have  known  her  for  two 
months,  Gilder.” 

“ When  she  has  been  lifted  up  four  feet,  she  is 
to  go  ahead,”  repeated  Christy,  in  the  tone  of  ,a 
musing  man. 

“ That  is  what  I said ; she  is  to  go  ahead.” 

“ But  what  is  to  drive  her  ahead  ? Is  she  ex- 
pected to  go  of  herself?  ” 

“ Go  of  herself  ? Of  course  not.  She  is  to  be 
driven  ahead  by  her  engine  as  she  always  is,”  re- 
plied Captain  Folkner,  suspending  the  work  upon 
which  he  was  engaged,  and  trying  to  see  the  face 
of  the  pilot  through  the  darkness.  “ How  do 
steamers  generally  go  ahead  ? ” 

“ If  they  are  screw  steamers,  they  are  propelled 


COMING  TO  THE  POINT 


231 


by  the  pressure  of  the  blades  of  the  screw,”  an- 
swered Christy. 

“ And  that  is  just  the  way  the  Teaser  will  be 
propelled  through  the  sound,”  replied  Captain 
Folkner.  “This  steamer  is  to  be  a privateer,  and 
I own  her.  She  has  cost  me  about  all  the  money 
I have  in  the  world,  and  I don’t  want  to  lose  her 
before  I get  to  sea.  If  I can  get  into  blue  water 
with  her,  I am  not  at  all  concerned  but  that  she 
will  run  away  from  anything  afloat.” 

“ How  many  knots  can  she  do  in  a smooth  sea?  ” 
“ Eighteen,  and  perhaps  more.” 

“ Then  she  is  not  fast  enough  for  that  blockader 
outside.  I saw  her  at  Mobile  when  she  was  a big 
steam-yacht,  and  they  said  she  had  done  twenty- 
two  knots  more  than  once.” 

“ I don’t  believe  a word  of  it ; and  I am  willing 
to  take  my  chances  to  run  away  from  her  in  the 
Teaser,  if  I can  get  out.” 

“ If  she  is  good  for  eighteen  knots,  it  will  not 
take  her  more  than  about  two  hours  to  run  through 
the  sound,”  added  Christy,  very  much  amused  at 
the  talk  of  the  captain  and  owner. 

u I don’t  expect  her  to  go  at  full  speed  in  that 
shallow  water,”  said  the  enthusiast. 


232 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ Do  you  expect  her  to  go  at  all  when  she  is 
hoisted  four  feet  out  of  water  ? ” asked  Christy, 
hardly  able  to  keep  from  laughing. 

Captain  Folkner  was  silent  for  a moment,  dur- 
ing which  Christy  thought  he  must  have  obtained 
a new  idea,  for  it  looked  as  though  he  had  not 
thought  of  the  working  of  the  screw  after  all  his 
flotation  schemes  had  been  successful. 

“ I reckon  the  propeller  will  have  hold  enough 
on  the  water  to  make  her  go  right  along,  Gilder. 
I don’t  reckon  you  need  make  any  trouble  about 
that,”  added  the  man  of  mechanical  ability,  rather 
sheepishly. 

Christy  had  brought  his  boat’s  crew  on  deck, 
and  directed  Flint  how  to  post  them.  He  thought 
he  had  paid  proper  respect  to  the  talent  of  the 
enthusiast  in  listening  to  his  theory,  and  that  it 
was  about  time  to  bring  the  adventure  to  an 
issue. 

“ I shall  not  make  any  trouble  about  the  screw, 
Captain  Folkner,  for  I don’t  think  we  shall  have 
any  difficulty  about  it.  But  I believe  we  had 
better  not  hoist  it  any  higher  out  of  water,” 
added  Christy.  “I  mean  that  I think  we  had 
better  go  out  of  the  bay  by  the  main  channel.” 


COMING  TO  THE  POINT 


233 


“ That  means  to  run  the  blockade  ? ” said  the 
captain. 

“ That’s  the  idea.’" 

“ Gilder,  I want  you  to  understand  that  I com- 
mand this  steamer,”  continued  Captain  Folkner, 
angrily. 

“ Right,  with  a little  correction : You  did  com- 
mand her,  and  I command  her  now,”  replied 
Christy,  as  he  placed  one  of  his  men  on  each  side 
of  the  captain. 


234 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


CHAPTER  XXI 

ON  A DARK  AND  FOGGY  NIGHT 

“ I RECKON  I don’t  quite  understand  you, 
Gilder,”  said  Captain  Folkner,  very  nervously. 
“ I thpught  I was  still  in  command  of  the  Teaser.” 
“ I shall  not  blame  you  for  thinking  so ; but 
you  are  utterly  mistaken  all  the  same,”  added 
Christy. 

44  Did  you  come  here  to  take  the  command  out 
of  my  hands  ? Is  that  the  reason  why  you  sent 
all  my  men  to  Town  Point  ? ” demanded  the  cap- 
tain, getting  an  idea  of  the  situation. 

44  If  you  had  been  a magician,  you  could  not 
have  come  any  nearer  to  the  truth.” 

44  Who  are  you  ? I thought  you  were  Gilder.” 

44 1 am  not  Gilder,  though  I found  it  convenient 
to  answer  to  that  name.  It  is  reported  that  the 
Teaser  is  a very  fast  steamer,  and  I wanted  her.” 

44  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  are  a pirate  ? ” 
asked  Captain  Folkner,  stepping  back  as  if  to  em- 


ON  A DARK  AND  FOGGY  NIGHT 


235 


phasize  his  disgust  at  such  a person.  “ I have 
told  you  that  the  Teaser  is  a privateer,  and  it 
seems  that  you  want  her  more  than  I do ; but  I 
don’t  believe  it.” 

“ Privateers  and  pirates  are  about  the  same  in 
this  age  of  the  world.  I am  neither  a pirate  nor  a 
privateer.  Permit  me  to  introduce  myself  more 
precisely  than  I have  thought  it  wise  to  do  before. 
I am  Lieutenant  Passford,  of  the  United  States 
steamer  Bellevite ; and  I take  possession  of  the 
Teaser  as  a lawful  prize.  I think  we  need  not 
discuss  the  matter  any  longer,  especially  as  the 
tide  is  high  enough  by  this  time  to  run  out  of  the 
bay.  Disarm  him.” 

“ Say,  what  sort  of  a joke  is  this  ? ” demanded 
the  captain. 

u If  you  are  good-natured  enough  to  regard  it  as 
a joke,  I have  not  the  least  objection,”  replied 
Christy.  u But  I shall  be  under  the  painful  neces- 
sity of  confining  you  in  your  stateroom  for  the 
present,  and  I hope  you  will  make  yourself  as 
happy  as  possible,  Captain  Folkner.” 

The  lieutenant  directed  Flint  to  have  the  pris- 
oner conveyed  to  his  stateroom,  and  to  have  a man 
stationed  at  the  door  to  see  that  he  did  not  escape, 


236 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


or  do  any  mischief.  The  sentinel  was  to  keep  his 
eye  on  him  all  the  time,  and  not  allow  the  room  to 
be  closed  for  a moment.  The  most  reliable  man  of 
the  party  was  selected  for  this  duty,  for  the  cap- 
tain, in  a fit  of  desperation  over  the  loss  of  his 
vessel,  which  was  his  fortune,  might  attempt  some 
reckless  act. 

Accompanied  by  six  men,  Christy  visited  the 
engine-room,  where  nearly  all  the  hands  remaining 
on  board  were  employed.  If  there  was  to  be  any 
trouble  at  all  in  completing  the  capture,  it  would 
be  in  this  department.  Everything  was  in  work- 
ing order,  and  an  engineer  was  on  duty,  for  the 
engine  had  been  used  in  dragging  the  casks  under 
the  bottom  of  the  vessel. 

Beeks  was  directed  to  arrest  the  men  on  duty, 
and  the  engine  was  handed  over  to  Sampson,  who 
had  been  brought  for  such  a position  if  the  expedi- 
tion needed  him  in  that  capacity.  But  there  was 
only  an  assistant  engineer  and  several  firemen  on 
duty,  and  these  were  disposed  of  without  any 
delay.  They  were  all  conducted  to  the  wardroom, 
where  they  were  disarmed  and  a guard  placed  over 
them.  A couple  of  sailors  were  detailed  to  serve 
as  firemen,  and  the  work  of  taking  possession  was 
completed. 


ON  A DARK  AND  FOGGY  NIGHT 


237 


For  the  first  time  the  lieutenant  had  an  oppor- 
tunity to  examine  the  prize,  as  she  would  be  if  he 
succeeded  in  getting  her  out  of  the  bay.  She 
was  certainly  a fine  little  steamer,  and,  with  the 
heavy  gun  mounted  on  a pivot,  she  would  have 
been  capable  of  doing  a great  deal  of  mischief 
among  the  unprotected  merchant  ships  of  the 
nation. 

When  he  visited  the  cabin,  he  found  two  col- 
ored men  there,  one  of  whom  appeared  to  be  a very 
intelligent  fellow.  He  was  very  polite  to  the 
lieutenant,  and  it  was  evident  that  he  had  no  per- 
sonal interest  in  the  success  of  the  Teaser  in  the 
business  for  which  she  had  been  fitted  out.  He 
was  the  cabin  steward,  and  he  had  heard  every- 
thing that  had  been  said  in  regard  to  the  vessel 
since  he  came  on  board  of  her. 

“ What  is  your  name,  my  man  ? ” asked  Christy, 
addressing  the  steward. 

“My  name  is  Davis  Talbot;  but  no  one  ever 
calls  me  anything  but  Dave,”  replied  the  man, 
with  a cheerful  smile,  as  though  he  was  not  at  all 
disconcerted  by  the  change  which  had  come  about 
in  the  ownership  of  the  Teaser. 

“ How  long  have  you  been  on  board  of  this 


238 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


steamer,  Dave?”  asked  the  officer, ‘much  pleased 
with  the  intelligent  face  of  the  steward. 

“ About  two  months,  sir.” 

“ Where  did  this  steamer  come  from  ? ” 

“ Captain  Folkner  bought  her  somewhere  in  the 
West  Indies,  and  brought  her  here  before  the 
blockade  was  fairly  established.” 

“ Then  she  is  an  English-built  steamer  ? ” 

“ I suppose  she  is,  sir ; but  I don’t  know  any- 
thing about  it.” 

“ Then  she  has  been  here  a long  while.  What 
has  Captain  Folkner  been  doing  all  this  time?” 
asked  Christy  curiously. 

“ Inventing,  sir,”  replied  Dave,  chuckling. 

“ I see ; he  has  that  on  the  brain.” 

“ The  government  threatened  to  take  his  vessel 
if  he  did  not  fit  her  out  and  take  her  to  sea.  Then 
he  hurried  up,  and  got  a crew  ready ; but  they  had 
a quarrel  last  night,  and  most  of  the  men  would 
not  come  on  board.” 

“ Yes  ; I know  all  about  that,”  added  Christy, 
as  he  looked  at  his  watch  by  the  light  of  the 
shaded  lamp  in  the  cabin.  “ I suppose  you  insist 
upon  serving  the  Confederacy,  Dave  ? ” 

“ I doffit  insist  on  anything,  sir ; I go  where 


ON  A DARK  AND  FOGGY  NIGHT 


239 


the  ship  takes  me,  and  I don’t  mean  to  quarrel 
with  anybody.” 

“ In  other  words,  will  it  be  necessary  to  put  you 
under  guard  ? ” asked  Christy. 

“ I don’t  think  it  would  do  me  any  good,  sir,” 
replied  Dave,  laughing. 

“ Which  side  do  you  belong  on  ? ” demanded  the 
officer,  rather  impatiently. 

“ I belong  on  Dave’s  side,  sir.” 

“ Which  is  Dave’s  side  ? ” 

“ The  side  of  freedom,”  replied  the  steward, 
with  some  embarrassment.  “ I don’t  know  you, 
sir ; you  don’t  wear  the  uniform  of  a Yankee  or  a 
rebel,  and  the  darkey  gets  crushed  between  the 
upper  and  the  nether  millstone.” 

“ Then  to  make  the  matter  plainer  to  you,  I am 
the  third  lieutenant  of  the  United  States  steamer 
Bellevite,  and  I have  captured  this  vessel  as  an 
officer  of  the  United  States  Navy,”  replied  Christy. 

“ That’s  all  I want  to  know  : the  darkey  knows 
where  to  go,  when  it  is  safe  to  go  there,”  replied 
Dave. 

“ Then  if  it  is  safe  for  you  to  go  to  the  pilot- 
house, you  may  come  with  me,”  added  the  lieuten- 
ant, as  he  led  the  way  to  the  deck. 


240  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 

Beeks,  with  the  men  who  had  not  been  assigned 
to  other  duty,  was  cutting  away  the  ropes  that 
held  the  casks  in  place,  and  had  already  turned 
adrift  all  the  raft  of  them  alongside.  All  the  rub- 
bish the  nautical  inventor  had  collected  to  carry 
out  his  famous  scheme  of  floating  the  vessel 
through  the  sound  was  cleared  from  the  deck, 
and  cut  loose  from  the  side. 

“ I think  everything  is  clear,  sir,”  reported 
Beeks,  as  Christy  appeared  on  deck  with  Dave. 

“ Stand  by  to  get  up  the  anchor,  then,”  added 
the  lieutenant. 

“ No  anchor  down,  sir,”  interposed  Dave.  “ She 
is  made  fast  to  the  buoy.” 

“ So  much  the  better.  I suppose  Captain  Folk- 
ner  did  not  trouble  himself  about  the  forts,  Dave, 
did  he  ? ” Christy  inquired. 

“ Yes,  sir,  he  did ; Captain  Folkner  never  slept 
a wink  when  he  did  not  have  Fort  Pickens  on  his 
stomach  for  a nightmare,”  replied  Dave,  with  a 
chuckle. 

“ But  Fort  Pickens  is  all  of  four  miles  from  the 
entrance  to  the  channel  of  the  sound.” 

“ He  was  in  mortal  terror  of  the  guns,  all  the 


same. 


ON  A DARK  AND  FOGGY  NIGHT 


241 


“ How  was  it  in  regard  to  Fort  Barrancas  and 
Fort  McRae?” 

“ Of  course  they  would  not  fire  on  his  vessel;  if 
he  went  out  in  a fog  or  dark  night,  he  was  to 
burn  a blue  light ; and  I reckon  you  can  do  the 
same  thing,  though  I don’t  believe  it  could  be 
seen  to-night  from  the  forts,”  replied  Dave,  who 
appeared  to  be  willing  to  make  a good  use  of  his 
knowledge. 

“ Then  I don’t  think  we  shall  have  much  trouble 
in  getting  out  of  the  bay,”  added  Christy,  as  he 
went  to  the  pilot-house,  attended  by  Dave. 

Since  the  lieutenant  had  declared  as  unequiv- 
ocally as  he  desired  who  and  what  he  was,  the 
steward  did  all  he  could  to  assist  his  new  master. 
He  had  served  Captain  Folkner  for  two  months, 
for  he  said  the  commander  had  lived  on  board  all 
this  time,  and  he  had  heard  everything  that 
passed  between  him  and  his  officers  and  others 
with  whom  he  had  relations.  He  was  about  as 
well  informed  as  though  he  had  been  an  officer  of 
the  vessel  in  whom  the  captain  confided  all  his 
affairs.  He  did  not  wait  to  have  his  knowledge 
dragged  out  of  him,  but  he  volunteered  such  infor- 
mation as  he  saw  that  the  occasion  required. 


242 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


He  was  a mulatto,  and  had  plenty  of  good  blood 
in  his  veins,  though  it  was  corrupted  with  that  of 
the  hated  race.  He  appeared  to  be  about  forty 
years  of  age,  and  his  knowledge  of  the  affairs  of 
the  locality  could  hardly  have  been  better  if  he 
had  been  a white  man,  with  a quick  perception,  a 
reasoning  intellect,  and  a retentive  memory.  It 
was  the  rule  with  Union  officers,  soldiers,  and 
sailors  to  trust  the  negroes,  making  proper  allow- 
ance for  their  general  ignorance  and  stupidity,  and 
for  particular  circumstances.  But  some  of  them, 
even  many  of  them,  were  brighter  than  might  be 
expected  from  their  situation  and  antecedents. 

The  binnacle  from  the  whaleboat  had  been 
brought  into  the  pilot-house,  and  Christy  com- 
pared it  with  the  compass  in  the  Teaser’s  appara- 
tus, after  Dave  had  lighted  it.  There  was  no  dis- 
agreement, and  as  the  tide  was  still  coming  in,  the 
head  of  the  steamer  was  pointed  to  the  westward, 
which  would  be  her  first  course  down  the  bay. 

The  lieutenant  felt  that  everything  depended 
upon  the  working  of  the  steamer,  and  he  was  a 
total  stranger  to  her  peculiarities,  if  she  had  any, 
as  most  vessels  have.  Taking  Beeks  with  him,  he 
began  at  the  stem  and  followed  the  rail  entirely 


ON  A DARK  AND  FOGGY  NIGHT 


243 


around  the  steamer,  feeling  with  a boat-hook  along 
the  sides.  Sundry  ropes,  fenders,  and  pieces  of 
lumber  were  dislodged,  and  everything  put  in 
order  about  the  main  deck.  Then  he  visited  the 
engine-room,  and  learned  from  Sampson  that  he 
had  a full  head  of  steam.  This  careful  inspection 
completed,  he  ordered  the  quartermaster  to  cast 
off  the  fast  at  the  buoy. 

Taking  his  place  in  the  pilot-house  with  Beeks, 
he  rang  the  bell  to  go  ahead.  The  Teaser  started 
on  quite  a different  voyage  from  what  she  had 
been  intended  for.  Christy  had  studied  up  his 
courses  and  distances,  and  had  imprinted  the  chart 
of  the  lower  part  of  the  bay  on  his  brain.  For  the 
first  part  of  the  run,  there  was  no  obstacle,  and  no 
difficulty  in  regard  to  the  course. 

The  fog  and  the  darkness  were  so  dense  that 
not  a thing  could  be  seen  in  any  direction  ; but  he 
rang  for  full  speed  as  soon  as  the  Teaser  was  under 
way.  A leadsman  had  been  stationed  on  each  side 
of  the  forecastle,  though  there  was  no  present  oc- 
casion for  their  services.  Christy  thought  every- 
thing was  going  extremely  well,  and  he  was  rea- 
sonably confident  that  he  should  succeed  in  his 
plan. 


244 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ Steamer,  ahoy  ! ” shouted  a voice,  coming  out 
of  the  dense  fog. 

“That  must  be  the  patrol  boat,”  said  Dave,  in  a 
low  tone. 

Christy  could  not  make  any  reply  that  would  be 
satisfactory  to  the  patrol,  and  he  decided  not  to 
answer  the  hail.  He  had  rather  expected  to  be 
challenged  in  this  way. 


A VARIETY  OF  NIGHT  SIGNALS 


245 


CHAPTER  XXII 

A VARIETY  OF  NIGHT  SIGNALS 

The  dip  of  the  oars  of  the  guard-boat  could  be 
distinctly  heard  in  the  pilot-house,  and  it  was 
probable  that  the  men  in  it  could  see  the  Teaser. 
But  Christy  was  not  much  concerned  about  the 
situation,  and  he  was  not  much  disposed  to  give 
any  attention  to  the  boat. 

“ Stop  her,  or  we  will  fire  into  you ! ” yelled 
the  officer  in  charge  of  the  guard-boat. 

Even  this  menace  did  not  induce  the  lieutenant 
to  ring  his  bell  to  stop  the  engine.  The  boat  was 
doubtless  full  of  men,  and  as  he  could  not  give 
straight  answers  to  all  the  questions  that  might  be 
put  to  him,  it  might  provoke  a fight  to  attempt  to 
do  so,  and  he  decided  not  to  incur  the  risk.  His 
prisoners  might  make  trouble  if  he  reduced  the 
guard  in  charge  of  them,  as  he  would  be  obliged 
to  do  to  beat  off  the  attack  of  the  boat. 

“ What  is  this  boat  here  for,  Dave  ? ” asked 


246 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


Christy,  as  he  peered  through  the  gloom  to  obtain 
a glance  at  the  craft. 

“ To  keep  the  people  at  Fort  Pickens  from  send- 
ing out  any  armed  force,”  replied  the  intelligent 
contraband. 

“ Do  they  think  a boat  full  of  men  could  do 
that?” 

“No,  sir;  but  they  could  give  the  forts  on  the 
other  side  warning.” 

The  sounds  from  the  boat  had  come  from  the 
starboard  bow  of  the  steamer,  and  it  looked  as 
though  the  guard-boat  had  intercepted  her  by  acci- 
dent, since  it  was  impossible  that  they  could  have 
seen  the  Teaser  in  the  fog  and  gloom.  As  the 
steamer  dashed  ahead  at  full  speed,  the  sound  of 
the  oars  came  from  a point  on  the  beam.  But  the 
boat  seemed  to  be  wasting  her  time,  for  nothing 
had  been  done  since  the  threat  to  fire  into  the 
steamer. 

“ If  a vessel  is  going  to  run  out  she  has  to  sat- 
isfy this  boat  that  she  is  all  right,”  said  Dave. 

But  he  had  hardly  spoken  before  a volley  of 
musket-balls  passed  over  the  Teaser ; and  perhaps 
the  officer  in  the  boat  intended  that  they  should 
pass  over  her.  At  any  rate  no  harm  was  done  by 


A VARIETY  OF  NIGHT  SIGNALS 


247 


diem.  Then  a rocket  darted  from  the  boat  up  into 
the  air,  which  could  be  dimly  seen  from  the  pilot- 
house. 

u What  steamer  is  that?”  shouted  a hoarse  voice 
out  of  the  gloom. 

“ The  Teaser ! ” yelled  Christy,  with  all  the 
voice  he  could  command. 

The  boat  did  not  fire  again  ; and  if  it  had  done 
so  the  steamer  was  out  of  its  reach.  But  a minute 
later  the  boom  of  a great  gun  came  across  the  bay. 
Fort  Barrancas  had  evidently  opened  fire  in  re- 
sponse to  the  rocket,  which  had  no  doubt  been 
sent  up  as  a signal  to  notify  the  garrison  that  a 
vessel  was  going  out  or  coming  in,  and  that  her 
movements  were  not  regular.  The  first  shot  was 
followed  by  others,  and  a shot  dropped  into  the 
water  near  the  Teaser. 

“ Let  the  leadsmen  sound,  Beeks,”  said  Christy. 
The  order  was  repeated,  and  the  reports  were  made 
known  in  the  pilot-house.  Sampson  seemed  to  be 
testing  the  capacity  of  the  engine,  for  he  was  do- 
ing his  best  in  the  matter  of  speed;  but  the 
Teaser  behaved  under  the  strain  to  which  he  sub- 
jected her  as  though  she  had  been  very  strongly 
built. 


248 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ By  the  mark  eight,”  chimed  the  leadsman  on 
the  port  side. 

That  was  water  enough  to  float  a seventy-four, 
and  there  was  no  let-up  in  the  speed.  In  fact, 
it  would  not  have  been  convenient  to  reduce 
the  speed  while  the  guard-boat  could  be  at  no 
great  distance  from  the  flying  steamer.  This  was 
the  report  for  the  next  mile  at  least,  and  Christy 
felt  that  the  enemy  was  at  a safe  distance  from 
him. 

“ And  a half  six  ! ” shouted  the  port  leadsman, 
with  energy,  as  though  he  understood  the  effect 
his  report  would  produce. 

Christy  rang  to  slow  her  down.  The  depth  of 
water  was  the  only  directory  he  had  in  addition 
to  the  distance  run,  which  was  very  indefinite 
without  a knowledge  of  the  speed  of  the  vessel. 

44  By  the  mark  six  ! ” shouted  the  port  leads- 
man, who  was  on  the  side  nearest  to  the  island  of 
Santa  Rosa. 

This  did  not  induce  the  pilot  to  take  any 
further  action,  and  the  Teaser  continued  on  her 
course  at  less  than  half  speed.  Christy  looked  at 
his  watch  by  the  light  of  the  binnacle  lamps.  It 
was  half-past  eleven,  and  the  Teaser  appeared,  as 


A VARIETY  OF  NIGHT  SIGNALS 


249 


well  as  he  could  calculate  it,  with  the  necessary 
allowances,  to  have  made  at  least  sixteen  knots 
on  the  run  from  the  sound  channel. 

“ And  a quarter  five  ! ” cried  the  leadsman  of 
the  land  side. 

Christy  spoke  to  Sampson  through  the  tube, 
and  the  result  was  a further  reduction  in  the 
speed  of  the  steamer.  Beeks,  who  was  at  one 
side  of  the  wheel  while  the  lieutenant  was  at  the 
other,  seemed  to  be  a little  nervous  as  the  depth 
diminished ; and  if  he  had  spoken  his  thought,  he 
would  have  expressed  his  surprise  that  his  supe- 
rior officer  was  running  the  steamer  so  near  the 
shore,  with  the  apparent  intention  of  going  still 
nearer. 

44  Mark  under  water  three  ! ” yelled  the  leads- 
man on  the  port  side,  while  the  one  on  the  star- 
board gave  44  By  the  mark  four.” 

44  Shoaling  fast,”  said  Beeks. 

44  Yes  ; but  as  expected,”  replied  Christy. 

“Steamer,  ahoy!”  shouted  a voice  on  the  port 
side. 

On  shore  ! ” replied  Christy  promptly. 

“ What  steamer  is  that  ? ” demanded  the  shore 
speaker. 


250 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


44  The  Teaser,  prize  to  the  United  States  ship 
Bellevite,”  answered  the  lieutenant. 

44  Boga-hobble-good ! ” continued  the  man  on 
shore. 

44  Rabble-gabble-weed  ! ” responded  Christy. 

44  There’s  a Chinaman  on  shore  there ; but  I am 
glad  you  speak  his  language,”  said  Beeks,  trying 
to  repress  his  laughter. 

“ You  are  all  right  as  to  position  ! ” shouted  the 
islander. 

44  The  guard-boat  must  be  about  a mile  astern  of 
me,”  added  Christy. 

44  We  will  take  care  of  that,”  replied  the  shore 
speaker. 

Christy  rang  to  stop  the  engine,  which  was 
done,  though  the  steamer  continued  to  go  ahead 
under  the  impetus  of  her  former  headway.  The 
leadsman  on  the  port  side  reported  two  fathoms  a 
little  later,  and  then  there  was  a ring  to  back  her, 
for  there  could  not  be  more  than  two  foot  of  water 
under  the  keel.  At  this  moment  the  peal  of  a 
twelve-pounder  came  from  the  shore,  and  a little 
later  the  bursting  of  a shell  was  heard  astern  of 
the  Teaser. 

Beeks  was  very  much  perplexed  by  the  strange 


A VARIETY  OF  NIGHT  SIGNALS 


251 


speech  which  had  passed  between  the  lieutenant 
and  the  shore,  and  now  by  the  discharge  of  the 
gun  on  the  island ; but  he  was  a well-disciplined 
quartermaster,  and  he  asked  no  questions. 

“ I don’t  think  that  boat  will  come  any  farther 
this  way,”  said  Christy,  as  a second  report  from 
the  gun  reached  his  ears. 

“ Then  I suppose  the  shots  we  hear  are  directed 
at  the  boat,”  added  Beeks. 

“ They  can  hardly  be  directed  at  anything  out 
in  that  fog  and  darkness  ; but  I don’t  think  the 
guard  will  be  willing  to  take  the  risk  of  a chance 
shell  bursting  near  them,”  added  Christy. 

“ On  board  the  Teaser  ! ” shouted  a voice  quite 
near  the  bow  of  the  steamer. 

“ In  the  boat ! ” replied  Christy.  “ Sound  that 
bell  slowly,  Beeks,  to  let  him  know  where  we  are.” 

The  ripple  of  oars  was  presently  heard,  and  a 
boat  came  out  of  the  gloom,  rowed  by  two  soldiers, 
with  an  officer  in  the  stern.  It  came  up  to  the 
forward  gangway,  and  the  person  in  the  stern 
climbed  on  board.  The  boat  did  not  wait  for  him, 
but  pulled  directly  back  to  the  island. 

“ I am  glad  to  see  you,  Captain  Westover,”  said 
Christy,  as  the  officer  came  into  the  pilot-house. 


252 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ And  I am  equally  glad  to  see  you,  lieutenant,” 
replied  the  captain.  “ You  s6em  to  have  been 
successful  in  your  undertaking  ? ” 

“ Successful  so  far,  and  I think  the  worst  of  it  is 
over  now.” 

As  soon  as  Beeks  heard  the  name  of  Captain 
Westover,  he  understood  all  that  had  been  dark 
before.  Even  the  Chinese  lingo  must  have  been 
agreed  upon.  The  army  and  the  navy  officer  had 
been  very  busy  in  talking  over  something  when 
they  came  in  the  boat  from  the  Bellevite,  and 
after  they  landed  on  the  island.  What  they  had 
been  talking  about  was  plain  enough  now. 

Captain  Westover  had  not  much  confidence  in 
the  expectations  of  the  young  naval  officer  when 
he  expressed  a hope  that  he  might  capture  the 
Teaser;  but  he  had  promised  to  render  all  the 
assistance  in  his  power.  He  had  agreed  to  be  on 
the  shore  of  the  island  if  the  Teaser  presented  her- 
self, and  thus  assure  the  lieutenant  of  his  position 
on  the  bay.  He  had  done  more  than  this,  for  he 
had  brought  out  a couple  of  guns  and  a section  of 
artillerists  to  beat  off  the  guard-boat  if  it  inter- 
fered with  the  operations  of  the  navy. 

Christy  had  taken  a course  from  the  entrance  of 


A VARIETY  OF  NIGHT  SIGNALS 


253 


the  sound,  half  way  between  the  island  and  Town 
Point,  west-southwest.  He  knew  that  the  distance 
was  about  four  miles  ; but  he  could  not  know, 
except  by  sounding,  when  he  came  to  the  island, 
and  he  had  bargained  with  the  army  officer  to  be 
on  the  lookout  for  him.  Captain  Westover  had 
heard  the  noise  of  the  Teaser,  and  had  hailed  her, 
thus  assuring  the  lieutenant  that  his  calculation 
had  been  correct,  and  that  he  was  in  the  vicinity  of 
Fort  Pickens. 

“ I had  no  idea  that  you  would  accomplish  any- 
thing, lieutenant,”  said  Captain  Westover. 

“ I found  everything  laid  out  just  as  I should 
have  wished  it  to  be,”  replied  Christy.  u We  had 
plenty  of  information  that  the  steamer  would  run 
out  the  first  favorable  night ; and  nothing  could 
have  been  more  favorable  for  blockade  running 
than  this  fog  and  darkness.” 

“ But  nothing  has  been  seen  of  this  steamer 
from  the  fort.” 

“ Where  was  she  fitted  out,  Dave  ? ” asked 
Christy,  turning  to  the  steward. 

“ Up  by  Emanuel  Point,  sir,  about  a mile  above 
the  town,”  replied  Dave. 

“ Then  she  has  not  shown  herself  in  the  lower 
bay.” 


254 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


The  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the  roll  of 
a drum  on  the  shore. 

“ There  you  are,  lieutenant,”  said  the  captain 
with  a smile.  “ When  you  are  ready  to  go  ahead, 
don’t  wait  on  my  account,  for  I will  go  on  board 
of  the  ship.” 

“ But  what  is  the  drum  for  ? ” asked  the  lieuten- 
ant, who  was  in  the  dark  in  his  turn. 

“ I am  not  much  of  a sailor,  lieutenant,  but  I 
have  sent  a drummer  to  follow  the  shore  to  the 
west  end  of  the  island,  and  you  will  know  by  the 
racket  he  makes  where  the  island  is,  and  how  far 
off  it  is,”  replied  the  army  officer. 

“ I am  much  obliged  to  you,  Captain  Westover ; 
that  will  be  a safe  guide  for  me,”  said  Christy,  as 
he  rang  to  go  ahead. 

He  gave  out  the  course  west  by  north,  and  he 
thought  he  should  be  able  to  keep  within  hail  of 
the  island,  though,  as  he  could  see  nothing,  it 
would  be  difficult  to  tell  when  he  reached  the 
northwest  corner  of  it.  If  he  continued  on  this 
course  too  long,  he  was  likely  to  scrape  acquaint- 
ance with  Fort  McRae,  for  there  would  be  nothing 
in  the  soundings  to  indicate  the  approach  to  this 
dangerous  neighbor. 


A VARIETY  OF  NIGHT  SIGNALS 


255 


Nothing  more  was  heard  of  the  guard-boat, 
though  the  section  of  artillery  continued  to  dis- 
charge shells  into  the  fog  for  a short  time.  On 
the  other  side  of  the  bay  Fort  Barrancas  kept  up 
its  fire  at  long  intervals,  and  Fort  Pickens  could 
not  reply  without  the  danger  of  putting  a shot  into 
the  Teaser  after  her  recent  reformation.  The 
steamer  kept  on  her  course  at  half  speed ; but  in 
ten  minutes  the  sound  of  the  drum  fell  astern  of 
her,  when  the  drummer  could  go  no  farther. 

“ Heave  over  the  wheel,  Beeks,”  said  Christy. 

Then  he  rang  the  bell  to  go  ahead  at  full  speed. 


256 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

ANOTHER  NIGHT  EXPEDITION 

With  the  drum  still  beating  on  the  shore,  the 
Teaser  rounded  the  northwestern  point  of  the 
island,  when  the  wheel  was  heaved  over.  Christy 
was  entirely  confident  in  regard  to  the  navigation, 
for  he  had  steered  the  Belle vite  through  the  same 
channel  when  on  an  excursion  a year  before.  But 
he  had  daylight  and  sunshine  at  that  time  instead 
of  fog  and  gloom  as  on  the  present  occasion. 

“ Buoy  on  the  starboard,  sir ! ” reported  the 
leadsman  on  that  side. 

“Buoy  on  the  port  hand!”  cried  the  man  on 
the  other  side,  a minute  later. 

uWe  are  all  right,”  added  the  lieutenant.  “ We 
are  between  the  middle  ground  and  the  island. 
The  buoy  on  the  port  is  the  southwest  point  of 
the  island.” 

The  Bellevite  was  not  the  only  man-of-war  that 
lay  off  Pensacola,  for  the  Brooklyn  and  other  ves- 


ANOTHER  NIGHT  EXPEDITION 


257 


sels  were  there  to  assist  in  the  defence  of  Fort 
Pickens,  which  the  enemy  were  determined  to 
capture  if  possible.  The  government  had  done 
everything  within  its  means  to  “ hold  the  fort,” 
though  an  army  of  about  ten  thousand  men  had 
been  gathered  in  the  vicinity  to  reduce  it.  The 
dry-dock  which  had  floated  near  Warrenton,  and 
which  the  Confederates  intended  to  sink  in  the 
channel,  had  been  burned,  and  a force  of  Union- 
ists, including  the  Zouaves,  called  “ The  Pet 
Lambs,”  had  been  quartered  on  the  island  of 
Santa  Rosa.  It  had  looked  for  several  days  as 
though  the  enemy  were  preparing  for  a movement 
in  retaliation  for  the  destruction  of  the  dry-dock, 
which  was  a bad  set-back  for  them. 

The  getting  to  sea  of  the  Teaser  had  no  connec- 
tion with  this  movement,  it  appeared  afterwards, 
and  if  Lieutenant  Passford’s  enterprise  had  been 
carried  out  only  an  hour  or  two  later,  he  would 
have  found  the  situation  quite  different.  He  had 
sent  the  most  of  Captain  Folkner’s  force  on  board 
ashore,  and  had  it  all  his  own  way  afterwards. 
He  was  sorry  to  leave  these  men,  and  the  rest  of 
the  ship’s  company  of  the  Teaser,  to  assist  in  fight- 
ing the  battles  of  the  Confederacy,  and  he  was 


258 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


filled  with  the  hope  that  they  might  yet  be  cap- 
tured. 

As  soon  as  the  Teaser  was  well  to  the  south- 
ward of  the  island,  Christy  gave  two  short  and  a 
long  blast  on  the  steam  whistle,  which  was  the 
signal  he  had  agreed  to  make  when  he  approached 
the  Bellevite,  though  Captain  Breaker  had  laughed 
at  him  when  he  suggested  that  he  might  return  in 
the  prize.  The  same  signal  was  made  in  reply, 
and  repeated  several  times  to  aid  him  in  finding 
the  ship.  The  water  was  comparatively  smooth, 
and  the  prize  came  alongside  the  Bellevite,  where 
it  was  made  fast. 

The  lieutenant’s  first  duty  was  to  report  to  the 
captain  of  the  Bellevite,  and  taking  Dave  with 
him,  he  hastened  on  board.  He  found  Captain 
Breaker  on  deck,  for  there  was  a feeling  in  the 
fleet  and  in  the  fort  that  some  important  event 
was  about  to  transpire  in  the  vicinity. 

“ I am  glad  to  see  you,  Mr.  Passford,”  said  he  ; 
and  possibly  it  occurred  to  him  that  he  had  sent 
the  young  man  on  a difficult  mission,  practically 
within  the  enemy’s  lines.  “You  have  brought  the 
prize  with  you,  I see  ; and  I was  before  informed 
of  the  fact  that  you  had  her  by  the  signal  whistles.” 


ANOTHER  NIGHT  EXPEDITION 


259 


“Yes,  sir;  the  Teaser  is  alongside.  She  is  not 
a vessel  of  the  Confederate  Navy,  but  was  fitted 
out  on  private  account.  She  is  a privateer,”  re- 
plied Christy. 

“ So  much  the  better  that  you  have  captured 
her,”  added  the  captain.  “ Did  you  have  a severe 
fight,  Mr.  Passford  ? ” 

“We  had  no  fight  at  all,  sir.  I was  instructed 
to  avoid  a fight  if  possible,  and  I have  done  so. 
Not  a blow  has  been  struck  or  a shot  fired,  sir.” 

“ I will  hear  your  report  in  detail  later,  Mr. 
Passford,  when  the  prize  is  in  a better  situation 
than  now.  Have  you  any  prisoners?  ” asked  Cap- 
tain Breaker. 

“ Only  the  captain  and  the  engineers,  sir.  This 
man  with  me  is  Dave,  and  he  was  a steward  on 
board  of  the  Teaser.  He  has  given  me  valuable 
information,  and  I have  not  regarded  him  as  a 
prisoner,”  replied  the  lieutenant. 

“I  understand,”  said  the  commander,  with  a 
smile,  as  he  saw  the  yellow  hue  of  the  steward’s 
face.  “We  will  not  regard  him  as  a prisoner. 
But  you  may  send  the  others  on  board.” 

Captain  Folkner  was  in  no  better  humor  than 
before,  and  a berth  in  the  steerage  was  assigned  to 


260 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY'S  LINES 


him.  The  other  prisoners  were  sent  on  board,  and 
Captain  Breaker  had  ordered  Christy  to  anchor  the 
prize  near  the  Bellevite. 

“ I don’t  feel  as  though  I had  quite  finished  my 
work,”  said  Christy,  as  he  walked  towards  the 
gangway  to  obey  the  order. 

“ What  more  is  there  to  do  ? ” asked  the  com- 
mander. 

“ It  would  take  me  a little  time  to  tell  the  story 
of  my  trip  into  the  bay,  sir,  and  I think  you  would 
not  understand  what  more  is  to  be  done  until  you 
have  heard  it,”  replied  Christy. 

“ Then  I will  hear  you  before  you  anchor  the 
Teaser,”  said  the  captain,  leading  the  way  to  his 
cabin. 

The  lieutenant  narrated  the  events  of  his  trip 
across  Santa  Rosa  Island.  Captain  Breaker  was 
not  a little  amused  at  his  scheme  to  get  rid  of 
the  portion  of  the  crew  of  the  privateer  before  he 
captured  her. 

“ I never  suspected  that  you  were  the  possessor 
of  so  much  audacity,  Christy,”  said  he,  when  the 
lieutenant  had  put  him  in  possession  of  all  the 
facts. 

“ I did  not  know  that  I had  more  than  my  fair 


ANOTHER  NIGHT  EXPEDITION 


261 


share,  sir,  and  I don’t  know  what  I have  done 
that  is  at  all  audacious,”  replied  Christy,  very 
meekly. 

“ It  is  a very  dark  and  foggy  night,  but  I don’t 
believe  that  I have  another  officer  who  would  have 
cheek  enough  to  pretend  to  be  a pilot  in  Pensacola 
Bay,  and  to  be  in  possession  of  the  guard-boat 
at  the  same  time.” 

“ Captain  Folkner  put  the  idea  into  my  head, 
and  I think  I should  have  been  an  idiot  not  to 
make  use  of  it,  considering  the  nature  of  my  mis- 
sion on  board  of  the  Teaser.” 

“ It  is  a wonder  that  no  one  knew  you  were  not 
Gilder.” 

“ The  men  in  the  guard-boat  did  not  expose  me, 
and  admitted  by  their  silence  that  I was  the  per- 
son I claimed  to  be,”  replied  Christy,  with  a 
twinkle  of  the  eyes. 

“Your  scheme  would  have  failed  ninety-nine 
times  out  of  a hundred.” 

“ If  it  had  failed,  I had  force  enough  to  clean 
out  the  enemy  on  board,  so  that  I ran  no  risk ; but 
I was  ordered  to  avoid  a fight,  and  I did  so,” 
argued  Christy. 

“ You  were  exceedingly  fortunate  ; and  the  next 


262  WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 

time  you  try  such  a trick,  it  may  lead  you  into  a 
rebel  prison.” 

“ It  was  not  my  fault  that  the  ship’s  company 
of  the  Teaser  were  at  issue  among  themselves,  and 
I should  have  been  an  imbecile  to  fail  to  profit 
by  it.” 

“ I approve  all  you  have  done,  Mr.  Passford.” 

“ Thank  you,  sir.  Though  I was  of  Captain 
Folkner’s  opinion  that  the  sound  was  the  best  way 
out  of  the  bay  in  the  first  place,  I abandoned  that 
view  before  I started  on  the  expedition.  I was 
sorry  that  I could  not  indorse  Captain  Folkner’s 
opinion,  and  that  I was  obliged  to  take  sides  with 
his  men,”  said  Christy,  chuckling. 

“ I understand  your  position  perfectly.  Now, 
what  do  you  mean  by  finishing  your  work,  Mr. 
Passford  ? ” asked  Captain  Breaker,  curiously. 
u We  have  the  Teaser,  and  we  ought  to  be  satisfied 
with  your  brilliant  success.” 

“ I am  not  quite  satisfied,  sir.” 

“ You  ought  to  be.” 

uWe  put  twelve  men  ashore  at  Town  Point 
rather  than  have  a fight  with  them  ; and  I have 
the  feeling  that  we  have  a mortgage  on  those  men, 
to  say  nothing  of  thirty  more  at  Pensacola  who 


ANOTHER  NIGHT  EXPEDITION 


263 


were  to  join  the  Teaser.  I told  them  they  could 
get  on  board  of  their  steamer  from  the  island.  I 
shall  be  sorry  to  disappoint  them,  for  I suppose 
the  whole  forty  or  more  are  counting  on  a hand- 
some allowance  of  prize  money  to  be  made  for  them 
by  the  Teaser.  I should  be  sorry  to  disappoint 
them,”  continued  Christy,  chuckling  all  the  time. 

“ Precisely  so  ! I suppose  you  would  be  greatly 
grieved  to  blast  their  hopes,  and  you  propose  to 
take  them  on  board  of  the  steamer.” 

44  That  is  the  idea,  sir.  Taking  a more  patriotic 
view  of  the  question,  it  would  be  a great  pity  to 
allow  forty  good  sailors  to  waste  their  energies  in 
the  service  of  the  Confederacy.” 

“ Undoubtedly  it  would,”  said  Captain  Breaker, 
his  brow  knitting  under  his  earnest  thought. 
44  What  do  you  propose  to  do  ? Explain  your 
plan  fully,  Mr.  Passford.” 

44  The  principal  of  the  malcontents  on  board  of 
the  Teaser  was  a man  by  the  name  of  Lonley,” 
Christy  explained.  “We  left  them  at  the  point 
where  the  rest  of  the  Teaser’s  crew  were  to  join 
them.  They  are  all  anxious  to  get  to  sea  in  the 
Teaser,  and  I have  no  doubt  they  will  come  down 
to-night.” 


264 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ I should  think  they  would,”  the  captain  as- 
sented. “But  they  will  expect  to  find  the  steamer 
in  the  sound,  and  not  outside  of  the  island.  If 
the  Teaser  could  get  through  the  sound  at  all,  she 
would  not  be  where  you  intend  to  put  her.” 

“ I told  Lonley  to  get  upon  the  island,  and  be 
on  the  lookout  for  the  Teaser , and  as  they  have 
to  come  from  Pensacola  in  a boat,  it  will  be  as 
easy  for  them  to  go  to  the  island  as  to  land  at  the 
point.  Very  likely  they  will  get  the  Times  to 
bring  them  off,  or  some  other  steamer,”  Christy 
argued. 

“It  is  certainly  very  desirable  to  capture  these 
men,  for  it  will  do  so  much  to  weaken  the  enemy ; 
but  I am  afraid  you  are  a little  too  audacious  in 
some  of  your  movements,  Mr.  Passford,”  replied 
Captain  Breaker,  with  a softening  smile. 

“ I beg  you  will  not  consider  that  I am  asking 
for  the  command  of  the  Teaser,  Captain  Breaker, 
if  she  is  sent  upon  this  duty,”  returned  the  lieu- 
tenant, somewhat  set  back  at  the  prudence  of  the 
commander. 

“ I think  I had  better  send  Mr.  Blowitt  in  com- 
mand of  the  Teaser,  and  you  shall  go  as  his  first 
officer,”  added  the  captain. 


ANOTHER  NIGHT  EXPEDITION 


265 


“ I have  no  objection,  even  in  my  heart,  to  this 
arrangement,”  replied  Christy. 

“ But  I shall  have  to  send  the  prize  to  New  York, 
and  I will  appoint  you  prize-master,”  continued  the 
captain,  afraid  that  he  was  disappointing  the  ambi- 
tious young  officer.  “ You  have  done  exceedingly 
well,  Christy,  and  I shall  not  fail  to  mention  you 
favorably  in  my  report ; and  you  will  write  out 
yours  as  soon  as  possible.” 

Christy  would  not  allow  himself  to  think  that 
he  was  unappreciated  because  an  older  officer  was 
appointed  to  conduct  the  enterprise  he  suggested. 
He  was  ready  to  do  his  whole  duty  either  as  prin- 
cipal or  subordinate.  Mr.  Blowitt  was  summoned 
from  his  stateroom,  and  forty  men,  including  all 
who  had  taken  part  in  the  capture  of  the  prize, 
were  detailed  to  man  the  Teaser.  The  second 
lieutenant  was  one  of  the  jolliest  men  on  board, 
but  he  weighed  nearly  two  hundred  pounds,  and 
he  was  not  as  active  on  this  account  in  boat  ser- 
vice as  some  others.  He  was  an  excellent  officer, 
and  had  been  in  command  of  a steamer,  though  he 
had  never  before  been  in  the  navy. 

At  three  o’clock  in  the  morning  the  fasts  of  the 
Teaser  were  cast  off,  and  she  backed  away  from 


266 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


the  Bellevite.  She  was  to  proceed  to  a point 
about  six  miles  to  the  eastward,  which  was  be- 
yond the  camp  of  the  “Pet  Lambs.”  Here  she 
was  to  look  out  for  the  Teaser’s  crew. 

She  had  not  made  half  this  distance  when  all 
hands  heard  rapid  and  continued  filing  on  Santa 
Rosa  Island. 


LIEUTENANT  PASSFOED  ON  A MISSION  267 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

LIEUTENANT  PASSFOED  ON  A MISSION 

The  officers  on  board  of  the  Teaser  could  not 
explain  the  occasion  of  the  firing  on  the  island, 
though  it  sounded  as  though  an  engagement  of 
some  sort  was  in  progress.  It  had  been  foggy 
during  the  preceding  day,  and  if  any  movement 
on  the  part  of  the  enemy  had  been  indicated  it 
could  not  have  been  seen  on  board  of  the  ships  off 
the  entrance  to  the  bay. 

“ I hope  this  business  we  are  to  do  this  morning 
will  not  take  us  long,”  said  Mr.  Blowitt.  “We 
may  be  wanted  on  board,  and  I should  not  like  to 
be  absent  from  the  Belle vite  if  she  is  to  take  part 
in  an  engagement  of  any  kind.” 

“ And  I am  sure  I should  not,”  added  Christy. 
“ I should  not  be  surprised  if  the  enemy  made  an 
attempt  to  capture  Pickens ; but  even  if  they 
storm  it  in  the  darkness,  I do  not  see  that  the 
ships  can  do  anything  until  they  are  able  to  see 
what  they  are  to  do.” 


268 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ But  this  affair  may  keep  us  away  from  the 
ship  for  a day  or  two,”  suggested  the  second  lieu- 
tenant. 

“ I don’t  think  so,  sir  ; I believe  you  will  be  on 
board  again  before  seven  bells  in  the  morning 
watch,”  replied  Christy.  “ The  ship’s  company  of 
the  Teaser  were  to  be  somewhere  on  the  shores  of 
the  sound  where  they  could  be  taken  on  board.” 

“ But  the  men  you  landed  at  the  point  believed 
that  the  Teaser  was  to  get  out  through  the  sound,” 
replied  Mr.  Blowitt.  “They  took  you  for  the 
pilot  Gilder,  and  you  did  not  tell  them  that  you 
intended  to  run  the  blockade.” 

“ Of  course  I did  not ; if  I had,  they  would 
have  remained  on  board.  But  the  guard-boat 
attempted  to  stop  us,  and  the  artillery  on  the 
island  fired  into  it,  though  it  is  probable  that  they 
did  not  hit  it  in  the  dense  fog,”  Christy  explained. 
“Our  men  may  have  learned  from  the  guard-boat 
that  we  took  the  steamer  out  through  the  main 
channel.” 

“ If  they  did  they  probably  learned  that  the 
Teaser  went  out  with  the  assistance  of  the  garri- 
son at  the  fort,”  suggested  Mr.  Blowitt. 

“ I am  confident  that  the  officer  of  the  guard- 


LIEUTENANT  PASSFORD  ON  A MISSION  269 


boat  would  have  no  means  of  knowing  that  fact,” 
argued  Christy.  “ Of  course,  he  heard  the  firing 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  fort,  and  he  would 
naturally  conclude  that  they  were  firing  upon  the 
steamer  to  prevent  her  from  running  out.” 

“ That  may  be  ; but,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  Mr. 
Passford,  I am  afraid  we  shall  not  find  these  men,” 
added  the  second  lieutenant.  “ From  the  firing 
we  hear,  I should  judge  that  a movement  of  some 
kind  is  in  progress,  and  our  men  may  be  better 
informed  than  you  expect.” 

“ Of  course,  they  may  be  ; but  I expect  to  find 
these  men  at  some  point  along  the  shore,”  replied 
Christy,  who  thought  the  second  lieutenant  was 
just  a little  obstinate  in  not  accepting  his  theory 
in  full. 

The  steamer  continued  on  her  course  to  the 
eastward,  and  nothing  more  passed  between  the 
two  principal  officers  in  regard  to  the  crew  from 
Pensacola.  But  Flint  was  quite  as  confident  as 
the  third  lieutenant  that  the  forty  men,  more  or 
less,  would  be  captured.  The  noise  of  the  firing 
could  no  longer  be  heard,  and  then  Christy  sug- 
gested that  the  whistle  be  sounded  as  a signal  to 
the  men  if  they  were  in  the  vicinity. 


270 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


The  depth  of  water  was  three  or  four  fathoms 
close  up  to  this  part  of  the  island.  The  soundings 
indicated  that  the  steamer  was  as  near  as  it  was 
prudent  to  go  in  the  dense  fog.  Christy  was  sure 
that  the  privateer’s  crew  could  not  have  gone  any 
farther  to  the  eastward  by  this  time,  and  the  screw 
was  stopped,  while  all  hands  made  an  anxious  use 
of  their  ears  to  detect  any  sounds  that  came  from 
the  shore.  But  nothing  could  be  heard  at  first, 
and  Mr.  Blowitt  again  intimated  that  they  were 
engaged  in  a 44  wild-goose  chase.”  But  he  had 
hardly  uttered  this  cooling  reflection  before  Beeks 
came  aft  to  report  that  a number  of  pistol  shots, 
as  he  thought  they  were,  had  been  heard  in  the 
distance. 

44  Nobody  can  tell  what  they  mean,”  said  the 
sceptical  Mr.  Blowitt.  44  They  may  be  a part  of 
the  affair  we  heard  going  on  soon  after  we  left  the 
ship.” 

44  In  what  direction  were  the  shots,  Beeks  ? ” 
asked  Christy. 

44  They  sounded  as  though  they  were  about  half 
a mile  or  less  to  the  westward  of  us,”  replied  the 
quartermaster. 

44  Blow  the  whistle  in  short  blasts,  Beeks,” 


LIEUTENANT  PASSFORD  ON  A MISSION  271 


added  Mr.  Blowitt,  who  seemed  to  have  gathered 
a little  faith  from  the  report  of  the  quartermaster. 

The  order  was  obeyed,  and  Beeks  again  reported 
that  pistol  shots  had  been  heard  from  the  west- 
ward. The  third  lieutenant  was  in  a hurry  to 
have  the  business  finished,  for  he  felt  confident 
that  the  Bellevite  would  soon  be  engaged  in  an 
affair  of  more  importance  than  picking  up  a couple 
of  score  of  prisoners.  He  ordered  the  steamer  to 
come  about,  and  move  to  the  westward ; but  after 
she  had  been  under  way  about  five  minutes,  he 
rang  to  stop  her,  and  then  sounded  the  whistles 
again.  Several  pistol  shots  responded  to  this 
signal.  Again  he  started  the  screw,  and  pointed 
the  bow  of  the  Teaser  squarely  to  the  north. 

The  steamer  moved  very  slowly,  and  two  men 
sounded  all  the  time  till  they  reported  “ by  the 
mark  two,”  when  there  could  not  have  been  more 
than  three  feet  of  water  under  the  keel  of  the 
vessel.  The  screw  was  stopped  and  backed  so 
that  she  might  not  run  upon  any  shoal  place  ahead 
of  her,  and  the  officers  waited  with  interest  and  anx- 
iety for  further  action  on  the  part  of  the  party  on 
shore.  By  this  time  no  one  doubted  that  there 
were  men  on  this  part  of  the  island ; but  whether 


272  WITHIN  THE  enemy’s  LINES 

they  were  the  crew  of  the  privateer  or  not  was  yet 
to  be  proved. 

“ Steamer,  ahoy ! ” shouted  some  one  on  the 
shore. 

“ On  the  island ! ” replied  Christy,  as  he  was 
instructed  to  do  by  his  superior. 

“What  steamer  is  that?”  demanded  the  speaker 
on  the  island. 

Whoever  he  was,  he  could  not  help  knowing  that 
a steamer  was  there,  for  the  engineer  had  begun  to 
bloAV  off  steam  as  soon  as  the  screw  stopped,  though 
neither  party  could  see  the  other  in  the  fog  and 
darkness. 

“ The  Teaser,”  replied  Christy.  “ Who  are 
you  ? ” 

“We  are  the  ship’s  company  of  the  Teaser,  and 
we  want  to  get  on  board,”  replied  the  speaker. 
“Is  Captain  Folkner  on  board?” 

“He  is  on  board  — of  the  Bellevite,”  the  third 
lientenant  would  have  finished  the  sentence  if  he 
had  told  the  whole  truth,  for  he  uttered  only  the 
first  part  of  the  sentence. 

“ All  right.  The  first  and  second  lieutenants 
are  with  us.  Is  Gilder  on  board?  ” 

“ He  is ; and  he  wants  to  get  back  to  the  other 


LIEUTENANT  PASSFORD  ON  A MISSION  273 


side  of  the  island,”  answered  Christy,  who  con- 
sidered it  his  duty  to  make  his  replies  as  suitable 
to  the  occasion  as  possible.  “Who  is  speak- 
ing?” 

“ Lieutenant  Lonley,”  replied  the  man ; and 
Christy  knew  him,  though  he  did  not  know  his 
rank  before.  “ He  wants  to  see  Gilder  before  he 
goes  on  board.  Tell  him  to  come  on  shore  in  his 
canoe.” 

“ What  is  that  for  ? ” demanded  Christy,  rather 
surprised  at  the  unexpected  request. 

“I  want  to  see  him  on  particular  business;  I 
have  a message  for  him,  which  I cannot  deliver  in 
presence  of  any  other  person,”  replied  Lonley. 

“ All  right ; you  shall  see  him  soon,”  answered 
Christy. 

“ Get  out  the  boats  to  take  us  on  board,”  con- 
tinued Lonley.  “ Send  them  about  a mile  to  the 
eastward,  where  we  have  left  our  bags.” 

“ All  right,”  repeated  Christy. 

But  he  said  what  he  did  not  believe,  for  every- 
thing did  not  look  right  to  him.  He  could  not 
understand  why  the  bags  of  the  men  should  be  a 
mile  to  the  eastward.  He  could  not  imagine  what 
business  Lonley  could  have  with  Gilder  or  his  rep- 


274 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


resentative ; and  if  he  had  any,  why  it  should  be 
necessary  to  meet  him  on  the  island. 

“ Of  course  you  don’t  expect  me  to  carry  on 
the  programme  that  fellow  has  marked  out,”  said 
Mr.  Blowitt.  “ I don’t  quite  like  the  looks  of  the 
things  that  we  can’t  see,  Mr.  Passford.” 

“ Neither  do  I,  Mr.  Blowitt,”  replied  the  third 
lieutenant  frankly. 

“ I shall  not  send  a boat  from  the  steamer  till  I 
understand  this  matter  a great  deal  better  than  I 
do  now,  and  especially  I shall  not  send  the  boats 
a mile  to  the  eastward,”  added  the  second  lieuten- 
ant. 

“ Of  course  it  is  possible  that  my  plan  has  mis- 
carried already,”  added  Christy. 

“ I shall  do  everything  I can  to  carry  out  your 
plan,  as  I am  instructed  to  do  by  the  captain ; 
but  I have  the  feeling,  in  spite  of  myself,  that 
we  are  crawling  into  a hornet’s  nest,”  added  Mr. 
Blowitt,  with  some  anxiety  in  his  tones.  “You 
will  call  all  hands  quietly,  and  be  ready  to  repel 
boarders.  It  is  well  to  be  prepared  for  whatever 
may  come.  The  firing  at  the  west  end  of  the 
island  indicated  that  something  was  going  on,  and 
perhaps  these  men  on  the  shore  know  about  it.” 


LIEUTENANT  PASSFOKD  ON  A MISSION  275 


Christy  obeyed  the  order  promptly,  and  the  next 
minute,  every  seaman  on  board  was  ready  with  his 
cutlass  and  revolver  to  meet  an  attack.  But  no 
sound  came  from  the  shore  just  then,  and  the  offi- 
cers were  in  a state  of  uncertainty  in  regard  to 
the  situation  which  allowed  them  to  do  nothing. 
They  waited  for  half  an  hour,  when  the  leadsman 
reported  that  the  water  was  shoaling,  which  indi- 
cated that  the  Teaser  was  drifting  towards  the 
island. 

44  On  board  the  Teaser ! ” shouted  Lonley,  so 
distinctly  that  he  could  hardly  have  been  more 
than  three  hundred  feet  from  the  steamer. 

44  On  shore,”  replied  Christy,  prompted  by  Mr. 
Blowitt. 

“I  am  waiting  for  Gilder  ! Why  don’t  he  come 
on  shore  ? ” shouted  Lonley,  his  impatience  appar- 
ent in  his  tones. 

44  Where  are  all  the  men  ? ” demanded  Christy, 
as  requested  by  the  second  lieutenant. 

u They  have  gone  a mile  to  the  eastward  where 
they  left  their  bags.” 

44  We  will  run  down  in  the  steamer  for  them,” 
added  Mr.  Blowitt,  talking  through  Christy. 

44  Don’t  do  that ! ” protested  the  speaker  on 


276 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


shore.  “ There  is  a Yankee  steamer  off  in  that 
direction.  We  heard  her  steam  an  hour  ago.” 

“ All  right ! ” replied  Christy. 

“ That  settles  the  matter  in  my  mind,”  said  Mr. 
Blowitt.  “ They  are  trying  to  play  what  they  call 
a Yankee  trick  upon  us.  When  we  send  our  boats 
to  the  eastward,  we  shall  send  them  into  a trap. 
If  the  boats  are  to  bring  off  forty  men,  they  will 
expect  theln  to  go  with  only  men  enough  to  pull 
the  oars ; and  when  they  get  possession  of  them, 
they  expect  to  retake  the  Teaser.” 

“ I think  you  are  right,  Mr.  Blowitt,”  replied 
Christy,  who  began  to  believe  that  his  scheme  was 
rapidly  approaching  a failure,  though  he  did  not 
give  it  up  just  yet. 

“ This  Lonley  is  still  on  the  shore  near  us,”  said 
Mr.  Blowitt.  “ I should  very  much  like  to  know 
what  has  been  going  on  to-night  on  the  island,  and 
it  may  be  that  he  knows  all  about  it.  As  you  are 
the  representative  of  Gilder,  Mr.  Passford,  you 
may  take  the  canoe  that  is  astern,  and  have  a 
talk  with  Lonley  at  close  quarters,  if  you  don’t 
object.” 

“ I should  have  proposed  it  myself  if  I had  not 
feared  that  the  idea  would  be  charged  to  my 


LIEUTENANT  PASSFORD  ON  A MISSION  277 


audacity,”  replied  Christy.  “ I will  take  only 
Flint  with  me,  as  he  was  with  me  before.” 

The  canoe  was  brought  up  to  the  gangway,  and 
Flint  took  his  place  at  the  oars.  Mr.  Blowitt 
charged  the  young  officer  in  the  most  serious  man- 
ner not  to  run  any  risks,  and  the  boat  was  shoved 
off.  It  required  but  a few  strokes  of  the  oars  to 
bring  it  into  shoal  water  by  the  beach.  Only  a 
single  man  could  be  seen  on  the  shore,  and  this  one 
must  be  Lonley.  There  seemed  to  be  no  risk,  and 
Christy  landed. 


278 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


CHAPTER  XXV 

CHRISTY  BECOMES  A VICTIM 

Everything  was  perfectly  still  on  the  island, 
and  only  a single  man  was  in  sight ; but  Christy 
put  his  hand  upon  his  revolver  as  he  went  on 
shore.  Though  he  had  never  been  a fighting 
young  man,  he  had  the  impression  that  he  should 
not  tamely  submit  to  the  assault  of  an  enemy,  or 
run  away  from  any  single  man  that  stood  up  in 
front  of  him.  He  had  always  been  prudent,  even 
while  he  had  been  daring,  and  he  hardly  needed 
the  solemn  admonition  of  the  second  lieutenant  to 
be  extremely  cautious. 

“ Is  that  you,  Captain  Gilder  ? 99  asked  the  man 
on  the  shore,  who  stood  a little  way  from  the 
waterside. 

“ Yes;  and  I take  it  for  granted  that  you  are 
Lonley,”  replied  Christy,  advancing  towards  the 
other.  “ You  have  done  all  the  talking  this  night, 
and  I ought  to  know  you.” 


CHRISTY  BECOMES  A VICTIM 


279 


“ All  the  talking  except  what  you  have  done, 
and  I ought  to  know  you,”  replied  Lonley.  “ I 
am  Lieutenant  Lonley,  of  the  Teaser,  and  our  men 
are  all  ready  to  go  on  board.” 

“ And  Captain  Folkner  is  all  ready  to  have 
them  go  on  board,”  returned  Christy,  who  had  no 
doubt  of  the  truth  of  what  he  said,  though  he  under- 
stood that  he  was  telling  a “ story  ” all  the  same. 

“ I have  no  doubt  he  is.  But  I don’t  quite 
understand  how  you  happen  to  be  on  this  side  of 
the  island,  and  so  far  to  the  westward  at  this  time 
in  the  morning.  We  expected  to  find  the  Teaser 
burrowing  through  the  sound,  and  we  had  about 
made  up  our  minds  to  take  possession  of  her  and 
run  the  blockade,  as  other  Christians  do.  We  did 
not  believe  she  would  get  through  the  sound  in  a 
week,  if  she  ever  did.” 

“ I succeeded  in  persuading  Captain  Folkner 
that  he  had  better  come  out  by  the  main  channel ; 
and  that  is  the  way  we  did  come  out,  and  that 
explains  how  we  happen  to  be  here  at  this  time  in 
the  morning,”  replied  Christy,  very  cheerfully. 

u You  must  have  very  strong  powers  of  persua- 
sion, Captain  Gilder,”  said  Lonley,  laughing. 

“ I have  in  a case  such  as  this  was,”  added  the 


280 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


lieutenant,  with  a chuckle,  as  he  thought  of  the 
particular  kind  of  persuasion  he  had  used  upon 
the  captain  of  the  privateer. 

u I would  give  a good  deal  if  I had  just  such 
powers,  for  they  are  sometimes  of  very  great  ser- 
vice to  an  officer.” 

“ You  are  quite  right,  Mr.  Lonley.  I suppose 
you  are  the  first  lieutenant  of  the  Teaser.” 

“ No,  I am  not;  kissing  goes  by  favor,  and  the 
captain’s  brother  is  the  first ; and  he  is  no  more  fit 
for  his  position  than  the  captain  is  for  his  duty. 
I was  in  hope  that  the  government  would  take 
possession  of  the  steamer,  and  send  her  to  sea 
properly  officered,”  added  Lonley,  very  good- 
naturedly. 

“ Good  officers  are  quite  necessary  in  the  ser- 
vice,” suggested  Christy.  “ I have  no  doubt  you 
will  fill  the  bill,  and  be  all  that  could  be  possibly 
desired.” 

“ Thank  you,  Captain  Gilder.  Did  you  have 
any  trouble  in  getting  out  of  the  bay  ? ” 

“ No,  none  at  all.  By  the  way,  Mr.  Lonley, 
we  have  been  hearing  firing  at  the  west  end  of  the 
island  to-night.  Do  you  know  what  it  means  ? ” 

“ The  first  thing  was  to  clean  out  that  regiment 


CHRISTY  BECOMES  A VICTIM 


281 


of  Zouaves ; and  I have  no  doubt  that  has  been 
done  before  now  ; and  our  boys  may  get  a hack  at 
Pickens.  A big  force  was  landed  in  the  fog,  and 
the  Yankees  will  not  stay  on  this  island  much 
longer,’'  replied  Lonley. 

His  information  was  entirely  correct,  though  his 
prediction  was  not  equally  reliable. 

“ I was  sure  there  was  fighting  going  on  over 
there,”  added  Christy.  “ You  seem  to  be  all 
alone,  Mr.  Lonley.  Where  are  all  your  men  ? ” 

“ I told  you  before  you  came  ashore  that  I had 
sent  them  all  over  to  the  place  where  they  had  left 
their  bags,  about  a mile  to  the  eastward  of  us.  I 
suppose  Captain  Folkner  has  sent  the  boats  over 
there  for  them  before  this  time  ? ” 

“ He  was  inclined  to  run  over  in  the  steamer,” 
added  Christy. 

“ I hope  he  did  not  do  that,”  said  the  privateers- 
man, with  a good  deal  more  energy  than  the  other 
thought  the  occasion  warranted.  “ I warned  you 
that  there  was  a Yankee  gunboat  over  that  way.” 

“ The  Teaser  has  not  gone  over  that  way,” 
replied  Christy. 

“ If  she  has,  she  will  be  gobbled  up  by  that 
gunboat,  and  all  my  men  with  her.” 


282 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ I persuaded  Captain  Folkner  not  to  do  it,” 
added  the  Bellevite’s  officer,  very  quietly. 

“ He  ought  to  have  done  just  what  I asked  him 
to  do  ; and  that  was  to  send  his  boats  over  to  the 
place  named  for  the  men.” 

“ And  I persuaded  him  to  do  that  also,”  con- 
tinued Christy,  as  unblushingly  as  though  he  had 
not  been  strictly  in  the  habit  of  telling  the  truth 
all  his  lifetime. 

44  Good  for  you,  Captain  Gilder ! ” exclaimed 
Lonley,  grasping  the  hand  of  his  companion  as 
though  he  had  been  his  brother.  46  You  beat  all 
the  men  I ever  knew  on  power  of  persuasion ; and 
when  I get  the  command  of  the  Teaser,  as  I expect 
to  have  before  this  year  ends,  I shall  want  you  to 
serve  as  my  first  lieutenant.” 

44  Thank  you,  Lieutenant  Lonley ; you  are  very 
kind ; and  if  I ever  go  into  the  privateering  ser- 
vice, I shall  certainly  go  in  with  you,”  replied 
Christy. 

44  An  officer  with  your  power  of  persuasion  will 
be  invaluable  to  me,”  replied  Lonley,  still  holding 
the  hand  of  the  other.  44  If  I were  gifted  in  this 
respect  as  you  are,  Captain  Gilder,  do  you  know 
what  I would  do  ? ” 


CHRISTY  BECOMES  A VICTIM 


283 


“ I am  sure  I have  not  the  least  idea,  unless  it 
would  be  to  persuade  Jeff  Davis  to  send  you  a 
commission  as  a captain  in  the  regular  navy,”  said 
Christy,  laughing  at  the  idea. 

“ I am  afraid  I should  have  too  little  cheek  to 
attempt  to  do  that,  for  the  president  is  a rather 
obstinate  man,  and  I fear  he  would  not  see  the 
point.  Besides,  I am  a very  modest  man,  though 
you  may  not  have  observed  this  shining  trait  in 
my  character.  No  ; I am  too  diffident  to  ask  for  a 
place  I have  not  won  by  service.” 

u Then  what  would  you  do  in  the  way  of  per- 
suasion ? ” asked  Christy,  though  he  wondered 
why  he  was  prolonging  the  interview. 

“ I should  use  my  powers  of  persuasion  upon 
you,  Captain  Gilder,  in  the  first  place.” 

“ I don’t  think  it  would  be  of  any  use,  for  I am 
too  well  posted  in  that  way  of  doing  it  to  be  influ- 
enced,” replied  Christy,  trying  to  withdraw  his 
hand  from  the  grasp  of  the  privateersman.  “ I must 
go  on  board  of  the  Teaser  again  when  you  have 
delivered  your  message  to  me,  as  that  was  what 
you  wished  to  see  me  for.” 

“ I did  say  I had  a ^message  for  you,  didn’t  I ? 
Well,  upon  my  life,  I have  quite  forgot  what  it 


284 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


was,  but  it  was  from  President  Jefferson  Davis, 
and  he  was  particular  that  I should  deliver  it  to 
you  to-night  or  this  morning.  Isn’t  it  very  strange 
that  I should  forget  a message  of  so  much  impor- 
tance that  it  could  not  be  trusted  to  writing?  ” 

“ Passing  strange,  I should  say,”  answered 
Christy,  who  began  to  understand  that  he  had 
fallen  into  a trap  of  some  sort.  “ While  you  are 
thinking  of  it,  I will  go  on  board,  and  persuade 
Captain  Folkner  not  to  run  the  Teaser  to  the 
eastward  if  he  should  take  it  into  his  head  to  do 
so.  I had  no  idea  there  was  a Yankee  gunboat  in 
that  direction,  and  I don’t  believe  the  captain  had. 
Besides,  he  don’t  know  where  he  is  in  this  fog,  and 
he  needs  me.” 

As  he  spoke,  Christy  tried  to  withdraw  his  hand 
from  the  grasp  of  Lonley,  as  he  had  not  succeeded 
in  doing  before  when  he  tried.  But  the  privateers- 
man suddenly  fell  upon  him,  and  both  of  them 
went  down.  A tremendous  struggle  followed,  but 
before  it  was  decided,  two  men  rushed  out  of  the 
gloom,  and  took  part  in  the  affair ; and  they  soon 
settled  the  matter  in  favor  of  the  Confederacy, 
much  to  the  chagrin  of  the  third  lieutenant  of 
the  Bellevite. 


“A  TREMENDOUS  STRUGGLE  FOLLOWED.”  — Page  284, 


CHRISTY  BECOMES  A VICTIM 


285 


Flint  had  remained  in  the  canoe,  which  had  been 
partly  drawn  up  on  the  beach ; but  the  moment  he 
sprang  out  upon  the  sand  to  go  to  the  assistance 
of  his  officer,  he  was  set  upon  by  two  men  and 
secured.  Both  of  them  were  deprived  of  their 
weapons,  and  their  hands  tied  behind  them.  Be- 
yond a doubt  the  lieutenant  and  the  master’s  mate 
were  prisoners  before  they  had  any  clear  idea  of 
the  situation. 

“ Are  you  there,  Mr.  Folkner  ? ” called  Lonley, 
as  soon  as  the  prisoners  were  secured,  speaking 
now  in  an  energetic  tone,  as  he  had  not  before. 

“ I am  here,”  replied  a man  who  seemed  to  be  in 
a boat  not  far  from  the  spot.  “ You  have  kept  me 
a long  time  waiting  for  you  ! ” 

“ I wanted  to  give  the  Yankee  boats  time  to  get 
at  least  a mile  from  the  Teaser  before  anything 
was  done.  Shove  off  now,  and  make  things  as 
lively  as  you  can,”  said  Lonley.  “ Go  to  your 
places  in  the  boats,”  he  continued  to  four  men 
who  had  assisted  in  the  capture  of  the  two  offi- 
ce?^. 

By  this  time  Christy  had  a chance  to  see  that  he 
was  a victim  of  a trick  which  was  to  eventuate  in 
the  recapture  of  the  Teaser ; and  he  was  sorry  that 


286 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


lie  was  not  the  only  victim,  as  he  looked  at  Flint. 
He  realized  too  that  the  scheme  had  been  very 
well  planned,  though  he  was  really  happy  in  the 
belief  that  it  would  be  a failure  in  the  end.  Lon- 
ley  seemed  to  be  the  leading  spirit  in  the  affair, 
and  managed  the  details.  He  had  intended  that 
the  boats  should  be  sent  from  the  Teaser  to  a 
point  at  least  a mile  off. 

He  had  taken  it  for  granted  that  the  steamer 
would  come  to  pick  them  up,  or  in  other  words,  to 
capture  the  forty  prisoners.  If  he  was  weak  in 
accepting  as  the  truth  Christy’s  statement  that  the 
boats  had  been  actually  sent  away,  as  desired,  he 
could  see  no  reason  why  the  Yankee  officer  should 
try  to  deceive  him.  It  appeared  now  that  the  pri- 
vateersmen had  two  boats,  which  had  been  brought 
across  the  island  for  the  purpose.  Lonley  had 
naturally  wished  that  only  a few  men  should  be 
on  board,  and  concluded  that  it  would  be  an  easy 
matter  to  capture  the  steamer,  and  then  to  secure 
the  men  in  the  boats  when  they  returned  from  the 
eastward. 

The  four  men  on  shore,  who  had  been  put  in  a 
place  where  they  could  assist  Lonley,  hastened  to 
the  boats,  and  they  shoved  off,  pulling  as  silently 


CHRISTY  BECOMES  A VICTIM 


as  though  the  oars  had  been  muffled,  as  probably 
they  had  been.  In  a moment  more  they  disap- 
peared in  the  darkness  and  fog. 

UI  think  I have  improved  a great  deal  in  the  art 
of  persuasion,”  said  Lonley,  as  the  boats  disap- 
peared. “ I suppose  I persuaded  you  as  effectu- 
ally as  you  did  Captain  Folkner.” 

“You  have  done  very  well,  Mr.  Lonley,”  re- 
plied Christy,  in  a patronizing  tone,  for  he  was 
determined  that  his  companion  should  derive  no 
satisfaction  from  seeing  him  cast  down  by  his  mis- 
fortune. 

“ You  informed  me  a little  while  ago  that  Cap- 
tain Folkner  was  on  board  of  the  Teaser;  and  I 
wish  to  ask  if  you  are  uniformly  in  the  habit  of 
speaking  the  truth  ? ” continued  Lonley. 

“ Well,  that  depends  upon  circumstances.  If  I 
have  not  done  so,  you  cannot  expect  me  to  contra- 
dict myself.” 

“ You  claimed  that  you  were  Captain  Gilder.” 

“ Hardly,  my  excellent  friend : when  Captain 
Folkner  addressed  me  by  that  name,  I did  not  ob- 
ject to  it.” 

“ That  was  just  as  much  a lie  as  though  you  had 
claimed  it  in  so  many  words,”  protested  Lonley. 


288 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ I admit  it ; and  I hardly  expect  a true  patriot 
to  tell  the  truth  to  the  enemy.  If  I remember 
rightly,  you  told  me  yourself  that  your  men  had 
gone  to  the  eastward  where  they  had  left  their 
bags.  I don’t  believe  that  your  conscience  re- 
proached you  when  they  showed  themselves  in 
the  boats.” 

At  this  moment  pistol  shots  were  heard  on  the 
water. 


ACTION  ON  THE  DECK  OF  THE  TEASER  289 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE  ACTION  ON  THE  DECK  OF  THE  TEASER 

As  the  Teaser  was  but  a short  distance  from  the 
shore,  Christy  had  no  doubt  that  the  attempt  to 
board  her  had  been  made  by  this  time.  Mr. 
Blowitt  had  quite  as  many  men  on  board  of  the 
steamer  as  could  have  been  contained  in  the  two 
boats,  and  he  was  not  much  concerned  about  the 
result  of  the  attack,  especially  as  he  knew  that  the 
second  lieutenant  was  fully  prepared  and  on  the 
lookout  for  it.  The  only  thing  that  Christy 
regretted  was  that  he  was  not  on  board  of  the 
Teaser  to  take  part  in  the  affair  of  repelling 
boarders. 

“ There  seems  to  be  some  music  in  the  air,” 
said  Lonley,  after  he  had  listened  for  a few  mo- 
ments to  the  sounds  that  came  from  the  direction 
of  the  steamer. 

“ To  return  to  the  subject  of  the  morality  of 
telling  stories,  your  men  do  not  seem  to  be  a mile 


290 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


to  the  eastward,  where  their  bags  were  left,”  added 
Christy  good-naturedly. 

“ You  had  a glance  at  them  in  the  boats,  though 
the  darkness  and  fog  were  rather  too  thick  for  you 
to  count  them,”  replied  Lonley,  chuckling  over 
the  deception  he  had  practised  upon  the  lieutenant 
of  the  Bellevite. 

“ Yes,  I saw  them , and  I concluded  that  they 
could  not  be  where  their  bags  were.” 

“ All  is  fair  in  war.” 

“ That  seems  to  be  the  generally  received 
maxim,  and  he  is  the  smartest  man  who  the  most 
thoroughly  deceives  the  enemy,”  added  Christy, 
who  found  himself  tolerably  well  satisfied  with 
the  situation,  though  he  was  a prisoner. 

“ That  is  so,  and  of  course  I can  find  no  fault 
with  you  for  deceiving  me,”  returned  Lonley, 
chuckling  as  though  he  was  even  better  satisfied 
with  the  situation  than  his  companion. 

“ Thank  you,  Mr.  Lonley , you  are  magnani- 
mous, and  with  equal  sincerity  I can  say  that  I 
have  no  fault  to  find  with  you,”  replied  the  Union 
officer.  “ But  I have  my  doubts  whether,  after 
this,  either  of  us  will  be  likely  to  believe  what  the 
other  says.  But,  for  my  part,  I wish  to  say  that 


ACTION  ON  THE  DECK  OF  THE  TEASER  291 


I don't  believe  in  telling  anything  but  necessary 
and  patriotic  lies.” 

“ That  is  my  view  of  the  matter  exactly ; and 
if  there  is  any  man  that  despises  a liar,  I am  that 
man,”  said  Lonley  warmly.  “ But  it  seems  to  me 
they  are  making  a good  deal  of  a racket  off  there,” 
he  added,  as  the  noise  of  pistol  shots  and  the 
clash  of  cutlasses  came  over  the  smooth  waters  of 
the  gulf. 

“ They  seem  to  be  at  it  quite  earnestly,”  replied 
Christy. 

“ By  the  way,  how  many  men  did  you  leave  on 
board  of  the  Teaser  ? ” asked  the  privateersman, 
whose  manner  seemed  to  have  suddenly  become 
considerably  changed. 

“ How  many  men  ? ” repeated  the  lieutenant  of 
the  Bellevite. 

“ That  is  the  question  I asked,”  replied  the 
lieutenant  of  the  Teaser. 

“ I suppose  you  would  not  believe  me  if  I should 
tell  you,”  answered  Christy. 

“ I judge  that  you  can  speak  the  truth  if  you 
try,”  added  Lonley,  with  more  asperity  than  the 
occasion  seemed  to  require. 

“ I know  that  I could,”  said  Christy,  very 


292 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


decidedly ; “ and  I may  add  that  I was  in  the 
habit  of  doing  so  on  all  occasions  before  this  cruel 
war  began.” 

“ Then  suppose  you  try  to  do  so  just  now,  and 
tell  me  how  many  men  your  people  had  on  board 
of  the  Teaser.” 

“You  must  excuse  me  for  the  present,  for  I do 
not  like  to  make  statements  to  one  who  will  not 
believe  what  I say,”  answered  Christy,  rather  face- 
tiously. 

“ You  are  a prisoner  now.” 

“ I am  painfully  aware  of  the  fact , but  I doubt 
if  the  government  service  will  suffer  very  much  in 
my  absence  from  duty.” 

“ You  are  too  modest  by  half,  Mr.  — but  I have 
not  even  the  pleasure  of  knowing  your  name,  and 
conversation  is  annoying  under  such  circum- 
stances.” 

“I  am  simply  Midshipman  Passford,  at  your 
service.” 

“ Only  a midshipman ! ” exclaimed  Lonley. 
“ Upon  my  word,  you  ought  to  be  a commodore. 
Passford  ? Possibly  you  are  a cousin  of  Colonel 
Passford  of  Glenfield.” 

“ Colonel  Passford  is  my  uncle.  Do  you  know 
him  ? ” asked  Christy. 


ACTION  ON  THE  DECK  OF  THE  TEASER  293 


“ I do  know  him ; and  there  is  not  a finer  man 
or  a truer  patriot  in  the  South  than  Colonel  Pass- 
ford.  He  is  loading  a schooner  with  cotton,  and 
he  offered  me  the  command  of  it.  Then  you  are 
his  nephew  , I have  heard  of  you.” 

“ I hope  my  uncle  is  quite  well,  for  I have  not 
heard  from  him  for  several  weeks,  or  since  I left 
New  York.” 

“ I saw  him  ten  days  ago,  and  he  was  very  well 
then.  I am  very  happy  to  have  made  a prisoner  of 
his  enterprising  nephew,  who  appears  to  be  capable 
of  doing  our  cause  a great  deal  of  mischief,” 
replied  Lonley,  looking  earnestly  in  the  direction 
of  the  Teaser. 

“ Thank  you,  Mr.  Lonley  ; I certainly  intend 
to  do  it  all  the  mischief  I can  in  a legitimate 
way.  I am  speaking  the  truth  now,”  said 
Christy. 

“ But  you  have  not  answered  my  question  in 
regard  to  the  number  of  men  on  board  of  the 
Teaser  when  you  left  her.” 

“ And  you  will  excuse  me  for  the  present  if  I do 
not  answer  it,”  added  the  Union  lieutenant. 

“ Very  well,  Mr.  Passford  ; I cannot  compel  you 
to  answer  it,  though  doing  so  would  do  no  harm  to 


294 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


your  cause,  for  I should  judge  that  the  question  of 
the  hour  is  settled.” 

“ What  is  the  question  of  the  hour,  Mr.  Lon- 
ley  ? ” 

“ The  question  is  which  side  is  in  possession  of 
the  Teaser,  yours  or  mine,”  replied  the  privateers 
man,  still  gazing  out  into  the  gloom. 

“Is  that  question  settled?  ’*  asked  Christy,  with 
interest. 

“Of  course  I don’t  know,  but  I should  think 
that  it  was.  We  hear  no  more  pistol  shots  and  no 
more  clashing  of  cutlasses,”  replied  Lonley,  un- 
easily. “But  I expected  to  hear  the  triumphal 
shout  of  our  men  when  they  had  carried  the  deck 
of  the  Teaser.” 

“ I have  not  heard  anything  like  a triumphal 
shout,”  added  Christy,  very  quietly.  “ It  is 
barely  possible  that  your  men  have  not  carried  the 
deck  of  the  Teaser.” 

“ Of  course,  it  is  possible  they  have  not ; but  I 
don’t  believe  they  have  failed,”  replied  Lonley. 

The  privateersman  listened  for  a few  minutes  in 
silence.  He  appeared  to  be  entirely  confident  that 
the  victory  must  be  with  his  men.  He  evidently 
believed  that  the  captors  of  the  Teaser  had  sent 


ACTION  ON  THE  DECK  OF  THE  TEASER  295 


her  two  boats  off  to  a distance  of  a mile,  and  thus 
weakened  whatever  force  she  had  on  board  of  her. 
He  did  not  seem  to  have  any  idea  that  the  party 
he  had  met  in  Pensacola  Bay  had  been  increased 
in  numbers,  or  that  the  officer  in  command  had 
reported  to  the  ship  to  which  they  belonged. 
Christy  realized  what  Lonley  was  thinking  about, 
and  he  clearly  believed  that  the  Teaser  had  been 
left  in  charge  of  not  more  than  a dozen  or  fifteen 
men,  reduced  by  at  least  six  then  on  boat  duty. 

“ Help  ! help  ! ” shouted  a man  in  the  water  at 
no  great  distance  from  the  shore. 

“ What  does  that  mean  ? ” said  Lonley,  spring- 
ing to  his  feet. 

“ It  is  a call  for  help , and,  as  my  hands  are 
tied  behind  me,  I cannot  respond  to  it,  as  I would 
gladly  do,  be  the  man  who  needs  it  friend  or 
enemy,”  replied  Christy.  “ There  is  the  canoe  in 
which  we  came  ashore,  Lieutenant  Lonley,  and 
you  can  use  that.” 

The  privateersman  sprang  into  the  boat,  shoved 
it  off,  and  pulled  in  the  direction  from  which  the 
appeal  came.  He  disappeared  in  the  fog  in  a mo- 
ment ; but  a little  later  was  seen  again  approach- 
ing the  shore.  He  had  not  taken  the  sufferer  into 


296 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


the  boat,  but  he  had  clung  to  it.  As  he  got  upon 
his  feet,  Christy  saw  that  there  were  two  of  them, 
for  one  helped  the  other  up  the  beach. 

“ What  does  this  mean  ? ” demanded  Lonley, 
very  much  excited.  “ Have  you  run  away  from 
the  others  ? ” 

“No,  sir;  but  we  were  beaten  in  the  fight,  our 
boats  captured,  and  all  hands  taken  prisoners 
except  us  two,”  replied  the  uninjured  of  the  two 
men. 

Lieutenant  Lonley,  whatever  his  views  of  the 
morality  of  lying  to  the  enemy,  uttered  an  ex- 
clamation which  grated  very  harshly  on  the  ears  of 
Lieutenant  Passford.  The  result,  as  stated  by  the 
man  who  had  swum  to  the  shore,  was  as  unwel- 
come as  it  was  unexpected.  He  had  not  deemed 
a defeat  even  possible.  He  learned  from  the 
guard-boat  that  the  steamer  had  been  captured. 
He  had  spent  the  time  after  he  was  landed  with 
his  companions  at  Town  Point,  and  organized  his 
force  for  the  recapture  of  the  Teaser.  The  failure 
of  the  final  attack  was  as  severe  upon  him  as 
the  loss  of  his  vessel  had  been  upon  Captain 
Folkner. 

“ Who  are  you?”  demanded  Lonley,  when  he  had 


ACTION  ON  THE  DECK  OF  THE  TEASER  297 


in  some  measure  recovered  from  the  shock  which 
the  failure  gave  him. 

“ I am  Levick,  the  boatswain ; and  this  is  Lieu- 
tenant Folkner,  who  was  wounded  in  the  shoulder 
in  the  first  of  it,”  replied  the  man.  “ He  was 
knocked  from  the  rail  into  the  water  when  we 
boarded,  and  he  held  on  to  an  oar.  When  the 
fight  was  over,  and  we  had  lost  it,  I slipped  into 
the  water,  and  helped  the  lieutenant  along  on  his 
oar,  till  I was  about  used  up,  and  then  I called  for 
help.” 

“Are  you  much  hurt,  Mr.  Folkner?”  asked 
Lonley  of  the  injured  officer. 

“ I don’t  know  ; my  shoulder  feels  numb,  and  I 
can’t  use  my  arm,”  replied  Folkner.  “ But  I can 
use  my  legs,  and  I think  that  is^what  we  had 
better  be  doing.” 

“ I don’t  understand  it,”  protested  Lonley,  very 
much  dissatisfied  with  the  result  of  the  action,  as 
may  well  be  supposed.  “ I was  sure  you  would 
carry  her  deck  at  once.” 

“I  was  as  sure  as  you  were,  Lonley;  but  I 
believe  they  had  fifty  men  all  ready  for  us.  They 
let  us  leap  on  deck  without  much  opposition,  and 
then  they  surrounded  us,  and  took  us  by  surprise, 


298 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


for  I did  not  suppose,  after  what  you  said,  that 
they  had  a dozen  men,”  replied  the  wounded  lieu- 
tenant. 

“ I did  not  suppose  they  had  even  a dozen  men 
left  on  board,”  Lonley  explained,  with  humiliation 
in  his  tones. 

“ I staid  in  the  boat  till  I had  seen  all  my  men 
on  deck,”  continued  Mr.  Folkner.  “They  sur- 
rounded our  force,  and  tumbled  them  into  the 
hold  as  though  they  had  been  pigs,  slashing  them 
with  their  cutlasses  if  they  tried  to  get  out.  I 
saw  the  fat  officer  in  command  of  the  enemy ; he 
was  very  active,  and  I leaped  on  deck,  determined 
to  cross  weapons  with  him.  But  he  hit  me  in  the 
shoulder  with  his  cutlass,  and  I lost  my  hold  on 
the  rail.” 

“ You  ought  to  have  led  your  men,  not  followed 
them,”  said  Lonley  bitterly. 

“ That  is  easy  enough  for  you  to  say ; but  I 
wanted  to  be  where  I could  see  my  men,”  retorted 
the  first  lieutenant,  of  whom  the  second  had  a 
very  mean  opinion,  perhaps  because  he  got  his 
position  on  account  of  being  the  captain’s  brother. 

“ Whether  I did  right  or  not,  I can  tell  you  all 
one  thing;  and  that  is,  that  we  shall  be  prisoners  if 


ACTION  ON  THE  DECK  OF  THE  TEASER  299 


we  stay  here  any  longer.  They  have  got  our  men 
under  the  hatches,  and  they  have  ordered  out  a 
boat  to  look  for  an  officer  they  sent  ashore.” 

uWe  can  do  nothing  here,  and  we  may  as  well 
put  ourselves  in  safer  quarters,  for  we  have  two 
prisoners  to  lose,”  said  Lonley.  “ Mr.  Passford,  I 
shall  have  to  trouble  you  to  march  to  the  other 
side  of  the  island.” 

“I  am  your  prisoner,  Mr.  Lonley,  and  I must 
obey  your  orders,  though  I am  sorry  to  be  away 
from  my  ship  in  the  hour  of  victory,”  replied 
Christy  submissively. 

But  he  felt  that  his  plan  had  been  fully  carried 
out. 


300 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

A VISIT  FROM  COLONEL  HOMER  PASSFORD 

With  his  arms  securely  tied  behind  him,  Christy 
realized  that  he  could  make  no  resistance  to  his 
captors.  Flint  was  in  the  same  unfortunate  situa- 
tion, and  both  of  them  had  been  deprived  of  their 
revolvers.  But  in  spite  of  his  unpleasant  sur- 
roundings, the  young  lieutenant  felt  that  the  bal- 
ance of  advantage  was  on  the  side  of  the  Union. 
If  the  government  was  deprived  of  the  services  of 
a midshipman  and  a master’s  mate,  a dangerous 
privateer  had  been  captured,  and  about  forty  pris- 
oners had  been  taken  from  the  employ  of  the 
Confederacy.  In  the  face  of  this  decided  gain, 
Christy  felt  that  he  had  no  right  to  complain. 

By  this  time  the  light  of  day  had  begun  to  have 
some  effect  on  the  darkness  and  fog,  though  the 
gloom  seemed  to  be  hardly  less.  Lonley  directed 
his  two  prisoners  to  walk  side  by  side  behind  the 
wounded  lieutenant,  while  he  and  Levick  took 


VISIT  FROM  COLOHEL  HOMER  PASSFORD  301 


their  places  in  the  rear.  The  second  lieutenant 
of  the  Teaser  was  duly  impressed  by  what  the 
first  had  said  about  a probable  visit  to  the  island 
in  search  of  the  missing  midshipman,  and  he 
directed  Folkner  to  march  as  rapidly  as  he  could. 
He  took  the  control  of  the  party  out  of  the  hands 
of  his  superior,  and  very  likely  he  wished  he  had 
done  so  sooner. 

Folkner,  as  he  had  before  suggested,  still  had 
the  use  of  his  legs,  and  he  certainly  used  them 
well,  for  he  travelled  like  a man  who  was  in  a 
hurry ; but  both  Christy  and  Flint  were  in  excel- 
lent condition,  though  they  had  been  on  active 
duty  all  night,  and  they  had  no  difficulty  in  keep- 
ing up  with  their  leader. 

Lonley  and  Levick  were  both  armed,  and  they 
kept  their  weapons  in  readiness  for  immediate  use, 
for  the  former  recognized  the  enterprising  charac- 
ter of  the  young  officer  in  front  of  him,  and  knew 
that  he  would  escape  if  he  could.  But  Christy 
did  not  feel  called  to  take  any  desperate  chances 
in  order  to  restore  himself  at  once  to  the  service  of 
his  country,  and  he  and  his  companion  in  captivity 
marched  along  very  quietly.  The  two  armed  men 
soon  dropped  several  paces  to  the  rear,  so  that  the 


302 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


lieutenant  could  listen  to  the  details  of  the  action 
on  the  deck  of  the  Teaser.  The  prisoners  could 
not  hear  what  was  said,  and  they  started  a conver- 
sation on  their  own  account. 

“ We  are  in  a bad  box,”  said  Flint.  “ I did  not 
expect  to  come  out  of  the  little  end  of  the  horn  in 
this  way.” 

“ You  must  take  a broader  view  of  the  situation 
than  that,”  replied  Christy.  “ The  Teaser  is  cer- 
tainly a prize  of  the  Belle vite,  with  as  many  as 
forty  prisoners.  That  is  the  result  of  our  night’s 
work,  though  we  are  counted  out  just  now  in  the 
business  of  crowing  over  the  success  of  our  side. 
That  is  the  way  to  look  at  it ; and  this  view  makes 
me  quite  satisfied  with  the  night’s  work.” 

“ I did  not  see  it  in  that  light,  and  I suppose 
you  are  right,  Mr.  Passford,”  replied  Flint. 

“ And  you  will  not  lose  your  share  of  the  prize- 
money  for  the  Yazoo  or  the  Teaser,”  added  Christy, 
though,  as  the  son  of  a millionnaire,  he  felt  no 
interest  at  all  in  the  spoils  of  war. 

“ What  do  you  suppose  will  be  done  with  us, 
sir  ? ” asked  the  master’s  mate. 

“ I have  not  the  least  idea,  any  more  than  you 
have  ; but  I have  no  doubt  we  shall  be  kept  in 


VISIT  FROM  COLONEL  HOMER  PASSFORD  303 


close  confinement,  and  I don’t  believe  we  shall  live 
as  well  in  our  prison,  wherever  it  may  be,  as  we  do 
on  board  of  the  Bellevite.  But  I am  rather  fond 
of  johnny-cake,  and  I don’t  expect  to  starve  on 
bacon.” 

“ Don’t  you  think  it  was  a mistake  to  send  us 
ashore  in  the  canoe  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Blowitt?” 
asked  Flint,  rather  timidly. 

“ If  it  was,  it  was  as  much  my  mistake  as  it  was 
his.  But  I don’t  think  it  was  a mistake.  I cannot 
say  that  we  did  not  succeed  in  the  action  on  the 
deck  of  the  steamer  because  we  were  sent  ashore,” 
replied  Christy. 

“ I don’t  see  how  that  can  be,”  replied  Flint. 

“ In  the  first  place,  Lonley  wanted  me  to  come 
on  shore,  and  asked  that  I should  do  so.  On  the 
strength  of  what  I said  to  him,  he  believed  that 
our  boats  had  been  sent  to  the  eastward,  and  that 
induced  him  to  make  the  advance  he  did.  After 
he  had  told  us  where  to  find  the  men,  he  had  good 
reason  to  believe  that  the  boats  would  be  sent  for 
them.  We  did  not  fall  into  the  trap  he  set  for  us. 
I think  it  is  all  right  as  it  is  ; but  whether  it  is  or 
not,  it’s  no  use  to  grumble  about  it.” 

“I  did  not  mean  to  grumble  ; and  I am  willing 


304 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


to  believe  that  everything  has  been  for  the  best,” 
replied  Flint,  apparently  resolved  to  be  satisfied, 
as  his  superior  officer  was,  whether  he  felt  so  or 
not. 

Folkner  led  the  way  in  a northwesterly  direc- 
tion, and  evidently  knew  where  he  was  going. 
When  they  had  been  marching  about  half  an  hour, 
the  party  heard  the  report  of  fire-arms  in  the  rear 
of  them ; but  the  discharges  were  at  regular  inter- 
vals, and  did  not  sound  as  though  they  came  from 
a battle.  A little  later,  they  heard  loud  shouts. 

“ That  is  the  party  who  are  out  in  search  of  us,” 
said  Christy. 

“ That  is  so,  Mr.  Passford ; the  sounds  are  only 
signals,  and  they  are  intended  to  notify  you  that 
your  friends  are  in  search  of  you,”  added  Lonley, 
hastening  up  to  the  advance  of  the  party.  “ I 
should  be  very  sorry  to  do  such  a thing,  but  if  you 
shout,  or  do  anything  to  inform  that  party  where 
you  are,  it  will  be  my  duty  to  shoot  you.” 

“ I am  not  disposed  to  be  rash,  Mr.  Lonley.  If 
our  friends  overtake  your  party,  it  will  not  be  my 
fault,”  replied  Christy. 

“ You  do  not  expect  me  to  shoot  you  in  that 
I hope  ? ” added  the  privateersman. 


VISIT  FROM  COLONEL  HOMER  PASSFORD  305 


“ T did  not  know  but  that  your  revolver  might 
go  off  by  accident.” 

“ You  may  be  assured  that  it  will  not ; I claim 
to  be  a gentleman  and  a Christian,  and  I intend  to 
be  fair  even  to  my  enemies.” 

“ T beg  your  pardon  for  my  thoughtless  remark. 
I have  no  occasion  to  complain  of  you.  I shall 
endeavor  to  be  a gentleman  and  a Christian  also, 
though  I intend  to  do  my  best  in  fighting  my  coun- 
try’s battles  ; and  I am  not  disposed  to  talk  politics 
with  you  under  present  circumstances.” 

The  march  was  continued  for  some  time  longer, 
and  the  signals  in  the  rear  were  repeated  till  in- 
creasing light  enabled  the  prisoners  to  see  that 
they  were  approaching  Pensacola  Bay.  Not  a 
little  to  their  astonishment,  the  shore  seemed  to 
be  alive  with  soldiers,  and  they  learned,  that  a 
battle,  or  something  like  one,  had  been  fought  on 
the  island.  The  Confederate  forces  had  been  sent 
to  attack  Wilson’s  Zouaves,  in  camp  to  the  east- 
ward of  the  fort.  Some  very  severe  fighting  had 
— # 

been  done  in  the  darkness  and  fog,  with  heavy 
losses  on  both  sides. 

The  Zouaves  had  been  re-enforced  from  the  fort, 
and  with  marines  from  the  ships.  Though  the 


306 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


Confederates  claimed  the  victory,  it  was  clear 
enough  to  the  two  prisoners  from  the  south  side 
of  the  island  that  the  Southern  troops  were  re- 
treating from  the  field.  A soldier  who  fought 
with  them  wrote  to  a paper  in  Georgia : “ I 
scarcely  know  whether  we  achieved  a victory,  or 
suffered  a defeat.”  He  also  said  that  in  the  fog 
and  darkness:  “We  shot  down  our  friends  in 
numbers.” 

A few  prisoners  had  been  captured  by  the  en- 
emy, including  two  officers.  But  Folkner  led 
the  way  to  a point  on  the  bay  not  very  near  the 
steamers  which  had  brought  over  the  expedition 
from  the  mainland.  The  Confederate  troops  em- 
barked in  the  steamers  and  launches  by  which 
they  had  come  ; but  the  Union  troops  followed 
them  to  the  end.  Their  steamers  were  aground, 
and  a merciless  fire  was  poured  into  them  by  the 
pursuing  companies. 

“ They  are  having  hot  work  of  it  over  there,” 
said  Lonley,  as  they  came  to  a boat  on  the  shore. 
“ But  that  is  not  our  affair,  and  it  is  quite  proper 
for  us  to  keep  out  of  the  way  of  the  flying  bullets.” 

. Christy  and  Flint  were  directed  to  take  seats  in 
the  boat,  and  the  lieutenant  and  boatswain  manned 


VISIT  FROM  COLONEL  HOMER  PASSFORD  307 


the  oars.  They  were  not  out  of  the  reach  of  the 
bullets  o i the  Federal  troops,  and  the  oarsmen 
pulled  with  all  their  might  for  a time.  It  was 
five  miles  to  Pensacola,  but  the  privateersmen 
landed  their  prisoners  there.  They  were  com- 
mitted to  a sort  of  guard-house  ; but  in  the  after- 
noon they  were  sent  to  Mobile  with  about  twenty 
others,  who  had  been  captured  in  the  battle  of  the 
night  before. 

There  was  not  a great  number  of  prisoners  in 
the  city,  and  it  was  intended  to  remove  them  to 
other  quarters  arranged  for  their  accommodation. 

Christy  and  Flint  were  confined  in  an  unoc- 
cupied warehouse,  and  were  fed  tolerably  well, 
and  they  were  supplied  with  some  kind  of  dried 
grass  for  beds.  It  was  not  at  all  like  the  luxu- 
rious stateroom  of  the  lieutenant  on  board  of  the 
Bellevite,  or  even  the  quarters  of  Flint ; but  they 
were  determined  to  make  the  best  of  it.  Flint  had 
become  reconciled  to  his  situation,  and  Christy  was 
even  cheerful. 

After  he  had  been  in  the  warehouse  a few  days, 
Christy  was  not  a little  surprised  to  receive  a visit 
from  his  uncle,  Colonel  Passford.  He  was  not 
surprised  at  the  kindness  of  the  planter  in  making 


308 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


the  visit,  but  that  he  should  know  so  soon  that  he 
was  a prisoner  of  war,  for  he  had  fully  decided  not 
to  make  any  appeal  to  his  uncle ; and  he  could  not 
imagine  how  he  had  discovered  his  situation. 

“ I am  glad  to  see  you,  Christy,”  said  Colonel 
Passford,  extending  his  hand,  which  Christy  took 
without  any  hesitation. 

“ And  I suppose  you  are  glad  to  see  me  here,” 
added  the  nephew,  with  a smile. 

“ While  I am  glad  to  see  you  deprived  of  the 
power  to  injure  the  cause  I love,  and  to  which  I 
have  pledged  all  that  I have  and  all  that  I am,  I 
am  sorry  that  you  should  be  in  trouble,  Christy. 
I hope  I have  Christian  feeling  enough  to  keep  me 
from  rejoicing  at  the  misfortunes  of  any  person, 
and  especially  of  my  brother’s  son.  I can  say  sin- 
cerely that  I am  sorry  you  are  in  trouble,”  said  the 
colonel  solemnly. 

“ Oh,  I am  not  in  trouble,  Uncle  Homer ! ” ex- 
claimed Christy,  laughing.  “ I have  done  my 
duty  to  my  country,  my  conscience  is  clean,  and  I 
am  not  to  be  upset  by  an  accident  like  this.  I am 
really  happy  in  the  consciousness  that  I have  been 
faithful  to  the  cause  of  my  country.” 

“ I wish  you  had  been ; but  we  will  not  talk 


“You  a Sailor  ? ” (Page  215) 


VISIT  FROM  COLONEL  HOMER  PASSFORD  309 


about  that,  for  I suppose  you  and  your  father 
have  the  same  views,”  replied  the  planter,  look- 
ing very  sad. 

“ I don’t  believe  we  should  agree  if  we  talked 
about  it  for  a year,  and  we  had  better  give  the 
subject  the  go-by.  But  how  are  Aunt  Lydia  and 
Gerty?” 

“ Both  are  very  well.  I hope  your  father  is  in 
good  health,  as  well  as  your  mother  and  sister.” 

“ All  very  well.” 

“ I have  not  heard  a word  from  any  of  you  for 
about  five  months,”  continued  Colonel  Passford. 
“ In  fact,  not  since  you  were  here  in  May.” 

“ We  got  home  all  right,  and  the  Bellevite  is  a 
man-of-war  now.  She  captured  one  valuable  prize 
off  the  coast  of  Carolina,  and  another  at  Pensa- 
cola,” replied  Christy  cheerfully. 

“ She  ought  never  to  have  been  allowed  to  leave 
Mobile  Bay,”  added  the  colonel. 

“Your  people  certainly  did  everything  they 
could  to  prevent  her  from  leaving,  and  I hope  you 
don’t  blame  yourselves  for  letting  her  go.  What 
about  Corny,  sir  ? ” asked  Christy. 

“ Major  Pierson  was  very  much  to  blame  for 
permitting  the  Bellevite  to  pass  the  forts  when  she 


310 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


came  in,  and  he  lost  his  command.  But  he  has 
devoted  all  his  life  to  redeem  his  fault  by  her  re- 
capture. He  took  Corny  with  him,  and  a naval 
officer  ; I only  know  that  the  attempt  to  recapture 
her  failed  from  the  fact  that  the  Bellevite  is  now 
on  the  blockade.” 

Finding  that  his  uncle  knew  nothing  of  the 
events  which  had  transpired  at  Bonnydale,  Christy 
told  him  all  about  them,  informing  him  at  the  end 
that  Corny  was  a prisoner  of  war  on  parole  at  his 
father’s  house,  recovering  from  his  wound. 


AN  ENTERPRISE  FOR  A DARK  NIGHT  311 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

AN  ENTERPRISE  FOR  A DARK  NIGHT 

“ Corny  wounded  ! ” exclaimed  Colonel  Pass- 
ford,  rising  with  no  little  emotion  from  the  box  on 
which  he  had  seated  himself. 

“Not  seriously,  Uncle  Homer,”  added  Christy. 

“ But  how  was  he  wounded  ? I have  heard  of 
no  battle  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York  till  now, 
though  our  papers  contain  some  news  from  out- 
side,” continued  the  planter. 

“ It  was  hardly  a battle,”  replied  Christy. 
“ Captain  Carboneer  had  brought  a crew  for  a 
steamer  through  Canada,  I believe,  for  the  purpose 
of  capturing  the  Bellevite  as  she  lay  at  Bonnydale. 
Major  Pierson  and  Corny  were  to  assist  him ; and 
the  major  wished  Captain  Carboneer  to  take  Florry 
on  board  of  her,  and  convey  her  to  the  South,  when 
he  had  taken  possession  of  the  steamer;  but  the 
naval  officer  was  too  high-toned  to  do  anything  of 
the  kind.” 


312 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ I did  not  suppose  Major  Pierson  could  do  such 
a thing,”  added  the  planter,  biting  his  lips. 

“ But  the  major  insisted  that  he  did  not  mean  to 
take  her  against  her  own  will.  Captain  Carboneer 
bought  an  old  steamer,  put  his  men  on  board  of 
her,  and  started  up  the  river  to  make  the  capture. 
I knew  they  were  coming,  and  was  ready  for  them. 
We  fired  only  one  shot  at  the  old  steamer,  which 
smashed  her  walking-beam,  and  disabled  her.  A 
piece  of  the  machinery  struck  Corny,  and  injured 
him  in  the  shoulder.  The  doctor  says  he  is  not 
permanently  injured,  though  it  will  be  months 
before  he  is  able  to  use  his  arm.  He  was  paroled, 
and  mother  is  taking  as  good  care  of  him  as  though 
I had  been  wounded.” 

“ I am  thankful  it  is  not  worse,”  added  the 
colonel,  with  a sigh  of  relief.  “ What  became  of 
Major  Pierson  ? ” 

“ I don’t  know,  but  I suppose  he  is  a prisoner  in 
Fort  Lafayette.  He  refused  to  give  his  parole 
when  he  found  he  could  not  be  a guest  at  Bonny- 
dale.  Captain  Carboneer  obtained  the  command 
of  a steamer,  but  it  was  captured  by  the  Bellevite, 
and  probably  he  is  with  the  major  in  the  fort.” 

The  planter  asked  a great  many  questions  in 


AN  ENTERPRISE  FOR  A DARK  NIGHT  313 


regard  to  the  affair  on  the  Hudson,  and  Christy 
answered  them.  He  gave  some  of  the  particulars 
of  the  capture  of  the  Teaser,  and  mentioned  the 
name  of  Lonley,  who  had  told  him  that  Colonel 
Passford  had  offered  him  the  command  of  a 
schooner  he  had  loaded  with  cotton  to  run  the 
blockade  ; but  the  planter  said  nothing  to  indicate 
that  he  had  ever  heard  of  the  privateersman. 

“ The  Bellevite  has  been  very  fortunate  so  far, 
and  she  seems  to  have  a charmed  existence,”  added 
the  colonel. 

“ That  is  only  because  she  is  well  handled,” 
replied  Christy,  laughing. 

“ And  you  seem  to  be  equally  fortunate,  Christy, 
for  you  have  twice  been  the  means  of  saving  your 
father’s  steamer.  Corny  has  done  nothing,  is 
wounded,  and  practically  a prisoner.  But,  Christy, 
the  tide  will  turn,  for  Heaven  is  always  on  the 
side  of  a just  cause,”  added  the  planter  solemnly. 

u I believe  it,  uncle ; and  that  will  be  the  reason 
why  the  Union  will  prevail  in  the  end.  Besides, 
Napoleon  believed  that  Heaven  was  always  on  the 
side  of  the  stronger  battalions.” 

“ That  was  an  impious  remark ; and  Heaven,  by 
its  own  mysterious  ways,  will  conduct  the  just 


314 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


cause  of  the  South  to  a successful  ending,  and  the 
Confederate  States  of  America  will  be  an  honored 
member  of  the  family  of  nations.” 

“ I think  we  had  better  not  talk  politics,  even 
though  we  mix  in  a little  religion,”  suggested 
Christy. 

“ As  your  father  has  been  kind  to  my  boy, 
wounded  and  a prisoner  in  the  midst  of  enemies, 
I ought  to  do  something  for  you,  Christy,”  con- 
tinued Colonel  Passford,  looking  on  the  floor. 

“Not  at  all,  Uncle  Homer;  I am  not  wounded 
as  Corny  is,  and  there  is  no  need  of  doing  any- 
thing for  me,”  interposed  Christy,  laughing  in  the 
serious  face  of  the  planter. 

“I  can  get  you  paroled,  and  then  I shall  be  glad 
to  have  you  remain  at  Glenfield  until  you  are  ex- 
changed,” said  the  planter. 

“I  shall  not  accept  a parole,  Uncle  Homer,”  re- 
plied Christy  promptly. 

“ Not  accept  a parole  ! ” exclaimed  the  colonel. 
“ Corny  did  so.” 

“ If  I were  wounded,  as  Corny  is,  I would 
accept  it.” 

“ I hope  you  don’t  mean  to  try  to  escape, 
Christy,”  added  his  uncle,  with  a look  of  deep 


AN  ENTERPRISE  FOR  A DARK  NIGHT  315 


concern  on  his  dignified  face,  as  he  looked  about 
the  apartment  in  which  his  nephew  was  confined. 

“ I don’t  say  that  I shall ; if  I did  say  so,  you 
would  have  our  guard  doubled,  and  ready  to  shoot 
me  if  they  saw  my  head  at  a window,”  answered 
Christy  with  earnestness. 

“ You  seem  to  think  I am  a heathen;  but  you  for- 
get that  you  are  an  active  enemy  of  my  country,” 
added  the  planter,  with  a pained  expression. 

“ I don’t  forget  it,  uncle  ; but  I am  not  half  as 
active  as  I hope  to  be  before  this  thing  ends.  I 
believe  you  would  see  me  shot  or  hung  by  the 
neck  till  I was  dead  if  it  were  for  the  benefit  of 
what  you  call  your  country.” 

“ I hope  and  pray  that  T may  never  be  placed  in 
a situation  to  see  anything  of  that  kind.” 

“ I know  you  are  earnest,  honest,  and  sincere, 
Uncle  Homer,  and  no  partiality  to  your  own  kin- 
dred would  permit  you  to  shirk  what  you  consider 
to  be  your  duty.  I find  no  fault  with  you  ; and  I 
believe  my  father  would  be  equally  firm,”  said 
Christy  warmly. 

I think  you  understand  me,  my  boy ; but  do  not 
attempt  any  rash  project.  I cannot  prevent  the 
guard  from  shooting  you  if  you  attempt  to  escape.” 


316 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ I prefer  to  keep  my  own  counsels  in  a matter 
of  this  kind,  Uncle  Homer.  Give  my  love  to  Aunt 
Lydia  and  Gerty,  for  I suppose  I am  not  likely  to 
see  them,  as  I am  liable  to  be  sent  away  any  day.” 
“ Oh,  yes,  you  will  see  them,  for  they  shall  call 
upon  you  here  as  soon  as  they  return  from  Mont- 
gomery, where  they  have  gone  for  a few  days.” 

“ It  will  be  very  kind  of  them  to  do  so,”  added 
Christy,  though  he  did  not  believe  he  should  be 
“ at  home  ” when  they  came. 

“ I do  not  wish  you  were  wounded,  my  dear 
boy,  but  if  you  were,  we  would  do  all  that  your 
father  and  mother  are  doing  for  poor  Corny,”  re- 
plied Colonel  Passford  fervently.  “ Now,  promise 
me,  Christy,  that  you  will  not  attempt  to  escape.” 
“ I can’t  make  any  promises,  uncle.” 

“ I will  do  the  best  I can  to  have  your  condition 
improved,  and  see  that  you  have  a better  diet,  if  I 
send  your  food  from  a hotel.” 

“ You  are  very  kind,  uncle,  and  I know  that  you 
will  do  all  that  your  duty  will  permit  you  to  do 
for  me.” 

“ But  I shall  live  in  fear  and  trembling  if  I 
leave  you  without  your  promise  to  refrain  from 
daring  exploits.  Just  consider,  my  dear  boy ; you 


AN  ENTERPRISE  FOR  A DARK  NIGHT  317 


are  in  the  fourth  story  of  this  warehouse,  and  the 
guard-room  is  below  you.  You  have  really  no 
chance  at  all  of  success,  and  a fall  or  a shot  may 
kill  or  disable  you  for  life.” 

“ I do  not  say  that  I shall  try  to  escape,  uncle.” 

“ And  you  do  not  say  that  you  will  not  try  to 
escape.” 

For  half  an  hour  longer  Colonel  Passford  en- 
deavored to  induce  his  nephew  to  give  the  desired 
promise ; but  he  remained  obstinate  to  the  end ; 
and  his  uncle  was  compelled  to  leave  him,  to  enter 
upon  the  fear  and  trembling  in  which  he  was  to 
live  while  his  enterprising  nephew  remained  a 
prisoner.  But  he  promised  to  call  upon  him 
every  day,  and  to  write  to  his  wife  and  daughter 
to  return  at  once. 

“ I think  I shall  not  w^ait  for  him  to  call,”  said 
Christy  to  Flint,  as  soon  as  he  had  gone. 

“ Do  you  expect  to  get  out  of  this  place,  Mr. 
Passford  ? ” asked  the  master’s  mate,  with  lively 
interest. 

“ This  very  night ! ” replied  Christy,  in  an  ener- 
getic whisper,  as  he  put  his  finger  on  his  lips  to 
indicate  that  nothing  more  was  to  be  said  on  the 
subject. 


318 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


The  third  lieutenant  of  the  Bellevite  had  not 
been  confined  in  the  Avarehouse  three  days  Avithout 
considering  his  chances  of  escape,  and  the  means 
of  accomplishing  such  a purpose.  He  had  looked 
the  building  over  Avith  the  greatest  care.  The 
room  the  prisoners  occupied  was  next  to  the  roof. 
The  rear  Avindows  opened  upon  a namnv  alley, 
and  he  had  ascertained  by  looking  out  at  them 
that  the  Avarehouse  was  one  of  a long  block.  He 
had  been  in  Mobile  a great  deal  while  the  family 
were  visiting  at  Glenfield,  and  he  had  been  careful 
to  notice  the  location  when  he  Avas  conducted  to  it 
Avith  the  others. 

At  the  end  of  the  loft  next  to  the  main  street 
were  thirty  or  forty  other  prisoners,  with  Avhom 
Christy  and  Flint  had  been  on  good  terms,  though 
they  belonged  to  the  army,  and  seemed  to  be 
inclined  to  keep  by  themselves.  They  had  been 
exhausted  by  hard  service,  and  they  had  nothing 
to  do  but  eat  and  sleep,  though  the  former  occu- 
pation did  not  occupy  any  great  amount  of  their 
spare  time.  But  as  soon  as  it  was  fairly  dark, 
they  stretched  themselves  on  their  beds  of  vines 
and  weeds,  and  most  of  them  were  soon  asleep. 

The  evening  that  folloAved  the  day  on  which 


AN  ENTERPRISE  FOR  A DARK  NIGHT  319 


Colonel  Passford  visited  his  nephew  was  dark, 
foggy,  rainy,  and  as  gloomy  as  even  a blockade 
runner  might  ask.  Christy  seated  himself  under 
one  of  the  rear  windows  oj:  the  loft,  which  ap- 
peared to  have  been  intended  only  for  storage, 
and  was  only  from  seven  to  eight  feet  between 
studs.  Flint  placed  himself  at  the  side  of  his  com- 
panion, as  he  was  requested  to  do. 

“ This  is  just  the  kind  of  a night  we  want,”  said 
Christy,  in  a whisper,  for  he  could  hear  the  tramp 
of  a sentinel  outside  the  door  of  the  loft. 

“ I should  as  soon  think  of  getting  out  if  we 
were  buried  a hundred  feet  under  ground  as  to 
think  of  getting  out  of  this  place,”  replied  Flint, 
who  was  hardly  as  enterprising  as  his  officer, 
though  he  was  always  ready  to  follow  when  he 
was  well  led.  “ There  is  a guard  at  the  door,  Mr. 
Passford.” 

“ He  may  stay  there  ; we  don’t  want  anything 
of  him,”  replied  Christy. 

“ I see  no  other  way  out  of  this  den,  unless 
we  jump  down  into  the  street ; but  I will  follow 
you,  sir,  if  I fall  a hundred  feet  in  doing  it,”  pro- 
tested the  master’s  mate. 

“ You  shall  not  fall  six  inches,  and  you  will 


320 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


have  no  opportunity  to  do  so.  But  if  you  are 
all  ready  to  follow  my  lead,  we  may  as  well  begin 
at  once,”  added  Christy,  who  had  expected  that  it 
would  require  some  persuasion  to  induce  his  com- 
panion to  join  him. 

The  first  thing  the  midshipman  did  was  to 
take  off  his  shoes,  and  to  require  Flint  to  do  the 
same.  With  these  in  their  hands,  Christy  paced 
off  twenty  steps,  which  brought  him,  according  to 
a calculation  he  had  made  in  the  daylight,  under  a 
scuttle  that  led  to  the  roof  of  the  warehouse. 
Stationing  the  master’s  mate  as  a mark,  he  laid  off 
five  paces  at  right  angles  with  the  first  line  from 
the  party-wall.  It  was  as  dark  as  Egypt,  and  the 
scuttle  could  not  be  seen ; but  the  operator  had 
located  it  mathematically,  and  was  confident  as  to 
its  position.  Flint  was  planted  under  the  opening, 
with  the  shoes  of  both  at  his  side. 

The  master’s  mate  was  nearly  six  feet  in  his 
stocking  feet  as  he  stood,  and  Christy  whispered 
to  him  the  next  thing  in  his  scheme.  With  the 
aid  of  his  willing  assistant,  the  midshipman  was 
mounted  on  the  shoulders  of  the  former,  where  he 
stood  up  like  an  athlete  in  the  gloom,  though  he 
almost  instantly  obtained  a hold  above  with  his 


AN  ENTERPRISE  FOR  A DARK  NIGHT  321 


hands.  He  unfastened  the  scuttle,  and  slid  it  off 
the  Aperture  with  the  greatest  care.  Then  he 
drew  himself  up  with  his  strong  hands,  and  was  on 
the  roof.  Then  Flint  passed  up  the  shoes,  as  he 
reached  down  for  them.  Seating  himself  on  one 
side  of  the  frame,  he  braced  his  feet  against  the 
other  side,  and  grasped  the  hands  of  the  mate.  It 
did  not  work. 


322 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

THE  NEW  MATE  OF  THE  COTTON  SCHOONER 

Christy  had  given  himself  credit  for  more 
physical  strength,  or  Flint  for  less  weight,  than 
the  circumstances  warranted,  and  found  that  he 
could  not  draw  up  his  companion  as  he  intended. 
He  made  several  efforts  to  accomplish  his  purpose, 
but  he  failed  every  time.  The  fear  of  making  a 
noise  cramped  his  efforts  to  some  extent. 

“ Let  go,  Mr.  Passford,”  whispered  Flint,  when 
he  realized  that  his  avoirdupois  was  too . much  for 
the  young  officer.  “ I will  get  that  box,  and  then 
I can  manage  it  myself.” 

“ All  right ; but  don’t  make  a particle  of  noise,” 
added  Christy. 

It  required  some  time  for  the  mate  to  find  the 
box  in  the  darkness,  but  he  had  it  in  position  at 
last,  standing  upon  one  end.  Mounting  it,  he 
found  that  his  head  was  on  a level  with  the  roof, 
and  he  could  easily  draw  himself  up ; but  he  did 
not  do  so  at  once. 


NEW  MATE  OF  THE  COTTON  SCHOONER  323 


“ What  are  you  waiting  for,  Flint?”  asked 
Christy,  rather  impatiently. 

“ If  I leave  the  box  where  it  is,  the  guard  will 
see  where  we  have  gone  when  they  inspect  the 
prison  at  ten  o’clock,”  replied  Flint. 

“ That’s  so  ; I did  not  have  the  box  in  my  plan, 
and  that  would  tell  the  guard  where  to  look  for 
us,”  replied  Christy.  “ We  must  make  a line,  and 
haul  it  up  after  you.” 

“ Here  are  two  big  handkerchiefs,”  added  Flint, 
as  he  removed  his  neck-cloth,  and  passed  up  his 
pocket  handkerchief  with  it. 

Christy  tied  the  handkerchiefs  together  with 
great  care,  adding  two  more  of  his  own  to  the 
length,  which  he  thought  would  reach  the  box. 
Flint  made  it  fast  to  the  broken  end  of  a board  on 
the  side,  and  then,  without  the  least  difficulty  or 
noise,  sprang  lightly  to  the  roof  of  the  warehouse. 
With  the  aid  of  his  companion,  Christy  drew  up  the 
box,  careful  that  it  should  not  strike  against  the 
frame  of  the  scuttle.  The  door  was  closed,  though 
of  course  they  were  unable  to  hook  it  on  the 
inside,  as  they  had  found  it ; but  the  guard  were 
not  likely  to  notice  that  it  was  not  fastened  before 
morning. 


324 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ What  next,  Mr.  Passford  ? ” asked  the  mas- 
ter’s mate,  after  they  had  rested  for  a few  min- 
utes from  their  labors,  though  they  had  not  been 
very  arduous. 

“ The  next  thing  is  to  get  down  into  the  street, 
where  we  shall  be  as  safe  as  though  we  were  as 
patriotic,  over  the  left,  as  my  Uncle  Homer.  The 
burden  of  the  work  is  done , but  I hope  we  shall 
be  able  to  kill  two  birds  with  one  stone,”  replied 
Christy,  though  his  meaning  was  mysterious  to  his 
companion. 

“ It  don’t  seem  to  me  that  we  are  much  better 
off  than  we  were  in  the  loft,”  suggested  the  mate. 

“ I believe  we  are,  though  I don’t  think  we  had 
better  indulge  in  any  long  speeches  just  now.  We 
have  a favorable  night,  and  we  must  make  the 
best  of  it.  I don’t  intend  to  be  seen  in  this  town 
in  the  morning , but  we  have  the  whole  night 
before  us.” 

“ There  will  be  a lively  time  looking  for  us  to- 
morrow, for  I don’t  think  they  will  be  willing  that 
you  should  get  off,  though  it  won’t  make  much 
difference  to  them  about  me.” 

“ They  would  not  be  willing  to  part  with  you, 
my  friend.” 


NEW  MATE  OF  THE  COTTON  SCHOONER  325 


“ But  you  made  yourself  rather  noted  in  help- 
ing the  Bellevite  out  last  May,  and  they  will  have 
a history  of  the  loss  of  the  Teaser  in  the  news- 
papers in  due  time,  if  they  have  not  had  it 
already  , and  they  will  not  like  it  a bit  when  they 
find  that  you  have  stepped  out.” 

“ They  are  welcome  to  their  own  reflections,” 
replied  the  lieutenant. 

“ And  they  will  send  a searching  party  out  to 
your  uncle’s  estate  at  Glen  field ; but  of  course  we 
shall  not  go  near  there,”  said  Flint. 

“ That  is  just  where  I am  going,”  replied 
Christy,  decidedly,  “ for  that  is  where  I expect  to 
kill  one  of  the  birds  with  the  stone  I fire.  But 
we  had  better  be  moving,  for  we  have  a long 
tramp  before  us.” 

The  midshipman  led  the  way,  and  though  the 
roof,  which  was  nearly  flat,  was  wet  with  the 
falling  rain,  they  walked,  still  in  their  stockinged 
feet,  to  the  farther  end  of  the  block.  Neither  of 
them  wore  his  uniform,  as  they  remained  as  they 
had  dressed  for  the  duty  they  were  to  do  on  board 
of  the  Teaser.  This  was  a point  in  their  favor  in 
the  course  they  were  to  pursue,  for  their  uniform 
would  have  betrayed  them  as  soon  as  they  were 
seen. 


326 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


Before  they  reached  the  end  of  the  block  of 
warehouses,  they  had  found  and  tried  all  the  scut- 
tles on  the  roof,  but  they  had  not  discovered  one 
which  had  been  left  unfastened.  At  the  last  one 
this  became  a serious  question.  The  scuttle  at  the 
end  warehouse  was  securely  hooked  on  the  inside  ; 
but  neither  of  the  pair  felt  discouraged  at  this  cir- 
cumstance. Looking  about  them  they  found  a 
piece  of  joist  about  ten  feet  long,  which  might  have 
been  left  there  when  the  building  was  finished. 
Christy  examined  the  scuttle  with  the  greatest 
care,  to  determine  on  which  side  the  hooks  were 
placed. 

While  he  was  doing  this,  Flint  detached  a 
couple  of  bricks  from  the  party-wall,  which  were 
used  as  a fulcrum  for  the  lever,  made  of  the  joist. 
The  building  was  not  inhabited,  and  there  was 
little  to  be  feared  at  that  height  above  the  street 
from  any  noise  they  might  make.  Flint  sat  down 
on  the  end  of  the  lever,  and  the  scuttle  flew  up  at 
once,  the  staple  drawn  out  of  the  wood. 

The  master’s  mate  was  the  first  to  enter ; and  he 

“ hung  off  ” to  the  floor  below.  Then  he  assisted 

% 

Christy  to  descend,  and  to  close  the  scuttle  after 
him.  Acting  upon  their  belief  that  all  the  ware- 


NEW  MATE  OF  THE  COTTON  SCHOONER  327 


houses  were  constructed  on  the  same  plan,  they 
easily  found  the  door  by  which  they  reached  the 
staircase.  On  the  lower  floor,  they  opened  a 
window  and  passed  out  into  the  alley  in  the  rear 
of  the  building.  They  were  on  the  ground,  and 
Christy  soon  ascertained  where  he  was.  He  made 
his  way  to  a wharf  where  he  was  fortunate  enough 
to  find  a boat. 

This  locality  seemed  to  be  entirely  deserted, 
and  there  was  no  one  to  challenge  them,  and  no 
one  appeared  to  take  any  notice  of  them  on  the 
way.  It  was  not  yet  nine  o’clock,  and  many 
stores  were  open,  one  of  which  they  entered  and 
bought  a cooked  ham  and  a large  supply  of  bread. 
The  woman  in  charge  asked  no  questions,  though 
Christy  talked  about  a fishing  trip  to  blind  her. 
The  boat' they  found  was  a very  good  one,  and  as 
it  was  the  property  of  the  enemy,  Christy  had  no 
scruples  in  regard  to  confiscating  it.  He  had 
money  enough  in  his  pocket  to  pay  for  it,  but  as 
the  owner  did  not  appear  to  dispute  his  taking 
possession  of  it,  he  dispensed  with  this  ceremony. 

Taking  the  oars  which  they  found  in  the  boat, 
they  pulled  away  from  the  wharf  without  inter- 
ruption from  any  source.  Christy  took  his  bear- 


S28 


WITHIN  THE  enemy’s  LINES 


ings  as  well  as  he  could,  and  they  passed  out  into 
the  fog  and  darkness,  to  which  experience  within 
a few  days  had  accustomed  them  both.  They 
crossed  the  Alabama  River,  and  then  followed  the 
land  to  the  southward.  Striking  across  an  inlet 
they  reached  the  land  again,  and  by  midnight  they 
reached  a point  of  land  where  Christy  felt  entirely 
at  home.  He  recognized  it  by  the  dilapidated 
wharf,  from  which  he  had  embarked  in  the 
Leopard. 

It  was  still  a long  pull  to  Glenfield,  and  they 
went  ashore  to  partake  of  a little  refreshment. 
Flint  was  a smoker,  and  he  had  some  dry  matches 
which  enabled  them  to  make  a fire,  more  for  its 
light  than  its  heat.  The  ham  was  good  and  so 
was  the  bread  to  hungry  men  like  the  fugitives. 
At  the  end  of  an  hour  by  the  midshipman’s  watch, 
they  felt  like  new  men,  and  they  resumed  their 
places  in  the  boat,  and  pulled  two  hours  longer, 
which  brought  them  to  the  inlet  at  Glenfield.  At 
the  rude  pier  where  the  Bellevite  had  been  moored 
lay  a topsail  schooner. 

“ I don’t  find  any  fault,  Mr.  Passford,  but  it 
seems  to  me  that  it  is  rather  dangerous  for  you  to 
come  here,”  said  Flint,  in  a low  tone,  as  soon  as 


NEW  MATE  OF  THE  COTTON  SCHOONER  329 


they  had  made  out  the  schooner  at  the  wharf.  “ I 
can’t  see  what  you  are  to  make  by  it ; and  your 
uncle  would  hand  you  over  to  the  rebel  officers  as 
readily  as  he  would  eat  his  breakfast.” 

“ I have  no  doubt  he  would  do  so  ; but  I don’t 
intend  to  give  him  the  chance  to  do  so,”  replied 
Christy,  resting  on  his  oar.  “You  see  this 
schooner.  She  is  loaded  with  cotton,  and  she  is 
going  to  run  the  blockade  about  this  time.  I in- 
tend to  take  passage  in  her.” 

“Then  you  knew  about  this  vessel?”  asked 
Flint  curiously. 

“ I did ; and  that  is  the  particular  reason  why 
I came  here.  Lonley  told  me  that  my  uncle  had 
offered  him  the  command  of  the  schooner ; and 
now  that  he  has  lost  his  position  on  board  of  the 
Teaser,  I have  no  doubt  he  has  already  applied  for 
the  berth  that  was  offered  to  him.  I am  confi- 
dent that  he  has  seen  my  uncle,  and  it  must  have 
been  he  who  told  him  that  I was  a prisoner.” 

“ I begin  to  understand  you  now,  Mr.  Passford,” 
added  Flint. 

“ If  you  do,  we  will  say  no  more  about  it  just 
now,  for  there  may  be  some  one  within  earshot  of 
us,”  replied  Christy. 


380 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


Nothing  more  was  said,  and  the  boat  cautiously 
approached  the  schooner.  No  one  appeared  to  be 
on  board  of  her,  and  the  fugitives  found  that  she 
was  loaded  with  cotton,  even  carrying  a deck-load 
of  this  staple  of  the  South,  the  price  of  which  had 
bounded  up  to  an  enormous  figure  in  the  markets 
of  the  world.  In  the  early  morning  the  clouds 
and  the  fog  were  swept  away,  and  the  sun  came 
out.  Christy  found  a hiding-place  on  the  other 
side  of  the  creek,  in  a dense  mass  of  bushes,  where 
the  boat  was  drawn  out  of  the  water. 

A spot  which  commanded  a full  view  of  the 
schooner  had  been  selected,  the  boat  was  turned 
upside  down  so  as  to  afford  a shelter,  and  the 
weary  Unionists  went  to  sleep,  for  they  were  not 
likely  to  be  disturbed  on  this  side  of  the  creek. 
It  was  noon  when  they  woke,  and  it  looked  as 
though  something  was  going  on  at  the  vessel. 
About  half  a dozen  negroes  were  to  be  seen  on 
the  deck-load  of  cotton ; and  a little  later  in  the 
day,  Colonel  Passford  and  Lonley  were  observed 
talking  together.  But  nothing  was  done  that  day, 
and  the  night  came  on.  Christy  was  not  satisfied 
with  his  information,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  dark, 
the  boat  was  launched,  and  the  fugitives  pulled 
over  to  the  schooner. 


NEW  MATE  OF  THE  COTTON  SCHOONER  331 


“ Who’s  in  dat  boat?”  shouted  a negro,  show- 
ing himself  at  the  rail  of  the  vessel. 

44  I am,”  replied  Christy,  rather  indefinitely. 

44  Be  you  de  new  mate,  sar  ? ” demanded  the  man. 
44  I am,”  answered  Christy,  at  a venture. 

“ We  done  wait  free  days  for  you,  an’  Massa 
Lonley  be  mighty  glad  to  see  you.” 

44 Where  is  Captain  Lonley  now?”  asked  the 
lieutenant. 

44  Stoppin’  wid  Massa  colonel.  He  done  tole  me 
to  call  him  if  de  mate  come.  Dis  nigger  gwine  to 
do  dat,”  added  the  man. 

44  Stop  a little,”  added  Christy,  as  he  climbed  on 
board  of  the  vessel,  followed  by  Flint.  44  How 
many  men  have  you  on  board?  ” 

44  Six  men  wid  de  cook.” 

44 Are  these  men  sailors?  ” 

44  Dey  all  done  work  aboard  a vessel,  but  dey 
ain’t  much  sailors.” 

44  All  free  niggers  ? ” 

44  No,  sar  ; wish  dey  was.” 

44  Where  are  the  rest  of  the  men  ? ” 

44  In  de  fo’castle,  sar.  De  capin  specks  de  mate 
come  to-night,  an’  I reckon  we’s  gwine  down  de 
bay  right  off  den.” 


332 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


“ Go  and  call  the  captain  then,”  added  Christy, 
as  confidently  as  though  he  had  stood  on  his  own 
ground. 

The  negro  hastened  away  as  fast  as  his  legs 
would  carry  him,  and  in  a few  minutes  Colonel 
Passford  and  Captain  Lonley  came  on  board. 
The  latter  seemed  to  be  hung  on  wires,  he  was  so 
active ; and  even  before  he  saluted  the  new  mate, 
he  called  all  hands  and  directed  them  to  hoist  the 
mainsail. 

“I  am  glad  to  see  you,  Fetters,”  said  the  captain, 
extending  his  hand  to  him.  “ I expected  you  yes- 
terday.” 

“ My  business  was  such  that  I could  not  leave,” 
replied  Christy. 

It  was  very  dark,  and  the  captain  did  not  recog- 
nize him. 


THE  PRIZE-MASTER  OF  THE  JUDITH  833 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE  PRIZE-MASTER  OF  THE  JUDITH 

The  weather  had  been  clear  all  day,  with  quite 
a fresh  breeze,  and  the  same  conditions  prevailed 
after  dark.  Colonel  Passford  seemed  to  have  a 
great  deal  to  say  to  Captain  Lonley,  now  that  the 
time  for  sailing  had  come,  and  he  occupied  the  at- 
tention of  the  latter  so  that  neither  of  them  could 
observe  the  new  mate,  if  he  were  disposed  to  do 
so.  As  soon  as  Christy  perceived  the  rdle  which 
circumstances  had  laid  out  for  him,  he  put  his 
hand  into  a slush-tub  he  found^ba  the  waist,  and 
anointed  his  face  with  the  filthy  stuff.  There  was 
just  color  enough  in  the  compound  of  grease  and 
dirt  to  change  his  complexion,  if  it  had  been  light 
enough  to  observe  his  physiognomy.  Flint  did 
the  same  thing. 

“ You  will  have  to  take  your  chances  when  you 
come  to  the  entrance  of  the  bay,”  said  Colonel 
Passford,  nervously.  “ This  cargo  is  worth  a for- 


334 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


tune,  and  we  are  in  sore  need  of  the  supplies 
which  its  value  will  purchase  for  us.” 

“I  think  I understand  the  matter  perfectly, 
colonel,”  replied  Lonley,  who  did  not  seem  to 
take  kindly  to  any  advice  from  a landsman. 

“ Do  not  take  any  unnecessary  risks,  Captain 
Lonley,  for  more  than  the  value  of  the  cotton  is  at 
stake,”  continued  the  planter. 

“ I have  a plan  of  my  own  which  I am  confident 
will  take  me  through  the  blockade  all  right,” 
added  the  captain. 

“ You  must  remember  that  my  brother’s  steamer 
is  on  the  blockade,  and  that  she  makes  over  twenty 
knots  an  hour.” 

“ I shall  pretend  to  be  a prize  of  the  Bellevite 
long  enough  to  distract  the  attention  of  the  fleet,” 
added  Lonley,  impatiently. 

“I  don’t  understand  these  things,  and  I shall 
leave  you  to  manage  the  affair  as  you  think  best ; 
but  I beg  you  will  use  all  proper  caution,”  con- 
tinued Colonel  Passford.  “ Here  are  the  ship’s 
papers.  You  will  give  the  one  on  the  top  to  the 
officer  from  the  fort,  and  he  will  cause  you  no 
delay.” 

Lonley  took  the  papers,  and  thrust  them  into 


THE  PRIZE-MASTER  OF  THE  JUDITH  335 


his  pocket  without  any  reply.  Christy  had  taken 
charge  of  the  hoisting  of  the  mainsail  without 
waiting  for  any  special  orders,  and  Flint  was  doing 
his  best  to  assist  him.  The  negroes,  though  not 
expert  seamen,  knew  the  ropes  of  a schooner,  and 
they  did  very  well  with  Flint  in  their  midst. 

“ We  are  going  to  have  a fresh  breeze,  Fetters,” 
said  Captain  Lonley,  as  the  new  mate  came  near 
him. 

“ It  looks  like  it  now,”  added  Christy,  changing 
his  voice  as  much  as  he  could,  and  as  he  had 
done  before  when  he  spoke  to  the  captain. 

“ If  things  are  not  favorable  when  you  get  to 
the  forts,  I think  you  had  better  anchor  inside  of 
the  point,”  suggested  the  planter,  who  could  not 
be  blamed  for  being  deeply  interested  in  the  fate 
of  his  cotton,  and  the  fortune  which  was  locked  up 
in  it. 

“ Of  course,  I shall  have  to  do  that  if  necessary ; 
but  I don’t  like  to  do  that,  for  every  blockader 
will  watch  her  all  the  time  if  I do,”  replied  Cap- 
tain Lonley,  still  maintaining  his  respectful  de- 
meanor, though  it  seemed  to  be  hard  work. 

By  this  time  the  mainsail  was  set,  and  was  bang- 
ing in  the  lively  breeze.  The  negro  sailors  seemed 


336 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


to  have  become  weary  with  wasting  the  day  in 
the  sailing  of  the  schooner,  and  they  worked  with 
a good  deal  of  enthusiasm. 
x “Now  set  the  foresail,  Fetters.  I don’t  think 
we  can  carry  the  topsails,”  said  the  captain. 
“ Isn’t  that  a white  man  with  the  hands  ? ” asked 
he,  as  the  men  went  to  the  foremast. 

“ That’s  a man  I brought  along  with  me,” 
replied  Christy.  “ He  is  an  able  seaman,  and  he  is 
very  anxious  to  get  to  some  port  outside  where  he 
can  obtain  a berth  as  mate.” 

“ All  right ; I thought  the  work  was  going  on 
exceedingly  well,  and  his  presence  explains  it,” 
added  the  captain. 

“ He  owns  the  boat  in  which  we  came  over  here, 
and  I think  we  had  better  hoist  it  on  deck,”  said 
the  mate. 

“ All  right ; do  so,  Fetters.  I suppose  you  have 
nothing  on  your  hands  ? ” 

“ Nothing  very  particular,”  replied  Christy. 

“ I am  instructed  to  buy  a fast  steamer  if  I can 
find  one,  even  if  I have  to  go  to  England  to  obtain 
her.  What  do  you  say  to  taking  the  berth  of  first 
officer  in  her,  Fetters,  for  I know  that  you  are  a 
sailor,  and  that  you  have  pluck  enough  to  fire  a 
gun  ? ” 


THE  PRIZE-MASTEK  OF  THE  JUDITH  33T 


“ Such  a position  would  suit  me  first  rate,” 
replied  Christy,  with  proper  enthusiasm. 

Still  Lonley  did  not  recognize  his  voice,  and  he 
took  especial  pains  that  he  should  not.  But  this 
state  of  things  could  not  long  continue.  If  the 
Unionist  went  into  the  cabin  where  there  was  a 
light,  he  could  not  help  betraying  himself.  It  was 
necessary  to  provide  against  this  or  any  similar 
emergency  very  soon.  He  had  already  arranged 
his  plan,  and  it  was  his  purpose  to  carry  it  into 
execution  as  soon  as  the  vessel  was  fully  clear  of 
the  creek. 

The  boat  was  hoisted  on  the  deck  ; the  fore  and 
main  sail  were  set,  and  everything  was  in  readiness 
for  a departure.  Colonel  Passford,  after  repeating 
some  of  his  admonition  to  the  captain,  shook  hands 
with  him,  and  stepped  down  upon  the  wharf. 
Lonley  gave  the  order  to  stand  by  the  jib,  and  cast 
off  the  fasts.  The  two  principal  sails  filled  on  the 
starboard  tack,  the  jib  went  up  in  the  twinkling  of 
an  eye  under  the  direction  of  Flint,  and  the 
schooner  began  to  gather  headway.  The  captain 
was  at  the  helm,  for  he  would  trust  no  other  there, 
and  Christy  went  forward. 

“Set  the  fore  topmast  staysail,”  said  the  mate; 


388 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


but  he  was  willing  the  crew  should  execute  the 
order  in  their  own  Avay,  for  he  called  the  master’s 
mate  to  him.  “ The  biggest  job  is  yet  to  be  done, 
he  added,  in  a low  tone. 

“ What  is  that  ? ” asked  Flint. 

“ To  get  possession  of  the  vessel,”  replied 
Christy,  impressively. 

“ That  will  be  an  easy  matter,  with  nothing  but 
niggers  on  board,”  added  Flint. 

They  talked  together  for  a few  minutes,  and  the 
plan  was  arranged.  Flint  saw  that  the  fore  top- 
mast staysail  was  properly  set  and  trimmed.  The 
two  Unionists  on  board  did  not  even  know  the 
name  of  the  schooner,  but  she  gathered  headway 
as  she  approached  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  and 
went  along  at  a very  satisfactory  rate.  The  mate 
of  the  vessel  and  his  fellow  fugitive  then  went  aft 
to  be  ready  for  the  decisive  action  in  which  they 
were  to  engage.  But  they  had  hardly  reached 
the  quarter-deck  before  the  schooner  was  hailed  by 
a boat. 

“Schooner,  ahoy!  On  board  the  Judith!” 
shouted  a man. 

“ In  the  boat ! ” replied  the  captain.  “ Who’s 
there?” 


THE  PRIZE-MASTER  OF  THE  JUDITH  839 


“ Fetters  ! ” responded  the  boatman. 

“ Fetters  ! ” exclaimed  Captain  Lonley,  appar- 
ently bewildered  by  the  reply.  “It  seems  to  me 
that  Fetterses  are  plenty  to-night.” 

But  this  was  all  he  was  permitted  to  say,  for  the 
stroke  of  a handspike,  in  the  hands  of  Flint,  fell 
upon  his  head  at  this  instant,  and  he  dropped  upon 
the  quarter-deck  like  a log.  At  the  same  moment, 
Christy  sprang  to  the  wheel,  and  the  schooner  was 
not  allowed  to  broach  to.  She  dashed  on  her 
course,  increasing  her  speed  every  moment,  with- 
out heeding  the  boat  that  had  hailed  her.  In  the 
darkness,  the  genuine  Fetters,  as  doubtless  he  was 
in  the  boat,  could  not  have  seen  in  what  manner 
Captain  Lonley  had  been  disposed  of,  and  all 
the  crew  were  forward,  so  that  they  were  no 
wiser. 

“ Judith,  ahoy ! ” repeated  the  genuine  and  only 
true  Fetters,  at  the  top  of  his  lungs,  as  the 
schooner  hurried  off  on  her  course.  “ I am  Fet- 
ters, the  mate  ! ” 

“ All  right ! ” replied  Christy.  “ I will  see  you 
in  the  morning.  Come  on  board  at  six  o’clock.” 

Mr.  Fetters  said  no  more,  and  probably  he  con- 
cluded that  the  Judith  had  gone  to  get  firewood 


/ 


340 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


for  the  galley,  to  fill  her  water-casks,  or  for  some 
similar  purpose.  The  fictitious  Mr. 'Fetters  kept 
his  place  at  the  wheel.  The  binnacle  had  been 
lighted  by  the  cook,  and  he  knew  the  exact  course 
for  the  entrance  to  the  bay.  He  felt  that  he  was 
in  possession  of  the  Judith  and  her  valuable  cargo ; 
and  he  had  become  so  hardened  in  his  patriotic 
duty  that  he  felt  no  compunction  of  conscience 
because  the  vessel  and  cotton  had  been  wrested 
from  his  uncle. 

As  Colonel  Passford  had  not  scrupled  to  attempt 
to  capture  the  magnificent  steamer  of  his  own 
brother,  it  would  be  a poor  rule  that  would  not 
work  both  ways.  Besides,  the  proceeds  of  the  sale 
of  the  cargo  were  to  be  expended  in  the  purchase 
of  supplies,  and  a steamer  to  carry  them,  for  the 
use  of  the  Confederacy.  His  uncle,  from  his  ele- 
vated standpoint  of  duty,  would  have  an  opportu- 
nity to  consider  the  application  of  his  stringent 
views  on  the  other  side  of  the  question. 

“ I hope  he  is  not  dead,”  said  Christy,  as  Flint 
bent  over  the  prostrate  form  of  the  captain. 

“ I don’t  know ; but  I am  going  to  take  him 
below,  and  lock  him  up  in  his  stateroom,  where  the 
crew  will  not  see  him,”  replied  Flint. 


THE  PRIZE-MASTER  OF  THE  JUDITH  341 


u That  is  right ; and  I would  help  you  if  I 
could  leave  the  wheel  long  enough,”  replied 
Christy. 

“ I can  handle  him  alone ; but  see  that  none  of 
the  sailors  come  aft  while  I am  about  it,”  added 
the  master’s  mate,  as  he  dragged  the  form  to  the 
companion-way. 

In  such  a work  as  he  had  on  his  hands,  he  had 
the  strength  of  two  men.  Without  any  great 
difficulty,  he  dragged  the  body  to  the  cabin,  and 
then  into  one  of  the  two  staterooms  he  found, 
which  was  lighted.  It  was  a more  difficult  task, 
for  Lonley  was  a heavy  man,  but  he  placed  the 
form  in  the  berth.  His  first  duty  was  to  examine 
very  carefully  the  pockets  of  the  captain.  He 
secured  the  file  of  papers  first,  and  then  drew  a 
large  naval  revolver  from  each  of  his  hip  pockets. 
Then  he  took  his  papers  from  his  pocket-book,  but 
left  his  money,  watch,  and  other  valuables  where 
he  found  them. 

After  a careful  examination  of  the  insensible 
form,  he  was  satisfied  that  he  was  not  dead,  though 
he  might  yet  die  from  the  blow  he  had  received. 
He  locked  the  door  of  the  room,  and  went  on  deck. 
He  gave  one  of  the  revolvers  to  Christy,  and 


342 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 

retained  the  other,  handing  over  to  him  also  all 
the  papers  he  had  taken. 

“ This  is  the  biggest  venture  we  have  under- 
taken yet,”  said  Flint,  as  he  seated  himself  by 
Christy. 

“ But  everything  has  gone  well  so  far,”  replied 
the  lieutenant.  “ If  you  are  not  promoted  for  this 
and  the  Teaser  affair,  Flint,  it  shall  not  be  for  the 
want  of  any  recommendation  on  my  part.” 

“ Thank  you,  Mr.  Passford ; you  are  very  kind. 
I hope  your  services  will  be  recognized  in  the 
same  manner,”  returned  the  master’s  mate. 

“I  don’t  care  so  much  for  myself,  and  I should 
not  cry  if  I were  never  to  become  anything  more 
than  a midshipman.” 

“ All  I have  done  has  been  to  obey  your  orders, 
and  follow  your  lead;  and  if  anybody  is  promoted 
for  the  two  affairs  in  which  we  have  been  engaged, 
you  are  surely  the  one  who  is  entitled  to  it.” 

“ Well,  we  will  do  our  duty,  whether  we  are 
promoted  or  not,”  added  Christy. 

It  was  not  more  than  nine  o’clock  in  the  even- 
ing when  the  Judith  came  out  of  the  creek,  and 
in  about  four  hours  she  was  approaching  Fort 
Morgan.  She  was  still  within  the  enemy’s  lines, 


THE  PRIZE-MASTER  OF  THE  JUDITH  343 


and  her  acting  captain  was  disposed  to  do  every- 
thing in  a regular  manner,  especially  as  he  had  the 
means  of  doing  so.  He  had  not  the  same  risk  to 
run  in  getting  through  the  blockading  fleet  that 
Captain  Lonley  would  have  had,  and  he  promptly 
decided  to  take  his  chances  without  waiting  for  a 
dark  and  foggy  night.  A boat  came  off  from  the 
inner  side  of  the  fort,  and  Christy  ordered  Flint  to 
bring  her  to. 

The  permit  to  pass  the  forts  was  in  due  form, 
and  signed  by  the  proper  officials.  The  officer  in 
the  boat  examined  it  carefully  by  the  light  of  a 
lantern,  and  declared  that  he  was  satisfied  with  it. 
Then  he  asked  some  questions,  which  the  acting 
commander  of  the  Judith  answered.  The  tough- 
est inquiry  he  made  was  as  to  how  he  expected  to 
get  through  the  blockaders  in  a clear  night  like 
that.  Christy  assured  him  that  he  had  a plan 
which  he  was  confident  would  carry  him  through 
without  difficulty. 

The  schooner  filled  away  again,  and  passed 
through  the  main  channel ; and  in  another  hour 
she  was  in  the  midst  of  the  Union  fleet.  There 
was  a rattling  of  drums,  a hissing  of  steam,  and 
energetic  commands  heard  as  soon  as  the  Judith 


344 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


was  made  out  in  the  darkness,  and  doubtless  a 
vision  of  prize-money  flitted  through  the  brains  of 
officers  and  seamen.  But  Christy  soon  impaired 
the  vividness  of  these  fancies  by  ordering  the  fore- 
sail of  the  schooner  to  be  taken  in,  and  then  the 
fore  topmast  staysail.  The  expectant  ships’  com- 
panies were  not  willing  to  believe  that  the  vessel 
had  come  out  for  the  purpose  of  surrendering. 

“ Schooner,  ahoy  ! ” shouted  the  officer  of  a boat 
sent  off  by  the  nearest  blockader.  “ What  vessel 
is  that?’' 

“ The  Judith,  prize  to  the  United  States  steamer 
Bellevite,”  replied  Christy,  “ Kindly  inform  mo 
where  the  Bellevite  lies.” 

In  another  half-hour,  Christy  had  dropped  his 
anchor  a cable’s  length  from  the  Bellevite.  In- 
structing Flint  to  ascertain  the  condition  of  Lon- 
ley,  the  lieutenant  went  on  board  of  her  to  make 
his  report,  using  the  boat  they  had  captured  at 
Mobile,  pulled  by  two  of  the  negroes. 

“I  have  come  on  board,  Captain  Breaker,”  said 
Christy,  as  he  met  the  commander,  who  had  come 
on  deck  at  the  alarm. 

“I  see  you  have,”  replied  the  captain,  grasping 
him  by  the  hand.  “ I have  been  terribly  worried 
about  you,  Christy.” 


THE  PHIZE-MASTEK  OF  THE  JUDITH  345 


44 1 am  all  right,  sir ; and  so  is  Mr.  Flint,  who 
was  with  me.  We  have  brought  off  a schooner  of 
two  hundred  tons,  loaded  with  cotton,”  continued 
Christy,  as  modestly  as  the  circumstances  would 
permit. 

44 1 am  very  anxious  to  hear  your  report,  Mr. 
Passford,”  said  the  commander. 

“Excuse  me,  sir,  but  the  captain  of  that  schooner 
is  badly  wounded,  and  needs  Dr.  Linscott  as  soon 
as  possible.” 

The  surgeon  was  sent  on  board  of  the  Judith. 
As  Paul  Yapoor  caught  a sight  of  the  returned 
third  lieutenant,  he  hugged  him  as  though  he  had 
been  separated  from  him  for  years  instead  of  a few 
days.  His  welcome  was  quite  as  cordial,  though 
not  as  demonstrative,  from  the  rest  of  the  officers. 
Then  he  went  .to  the  cabin  with  the  captain,  where 
he  reported  all  that  had  transpired  since  he  had 
been  separated  from  his  companions  on  board  of 
the  Teaser.  He  was  warmly  commended  for  his 
bravery  and  skill,  and  Captain  Breaker  assured 
him  that  he  should  be  remembered  in  the  reports 
to  the  department. 

Captain  Lonley  was  conveyed  on  board  of  the 
Bellevite,  where  he  was  committed  to  the  sick  bay. 


346 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


He  had  recovered  his  senses,  hut  it  was  likely,  the 
surgeon  said,  that  it  would  be  a month  before  his 
health  was  restored.  The  Teaser  had  not  yet  been 
sent  away  ; but  the  next  day  the  third  lieutenant 
was  appointed  prize-master  of  the  steamer,  and 
Flint  of  the  schooner,  for  he  had  been  the  master 
of  a coaster,  and  was  competent  for  the  position. 

A considerable  crew  was  put  on  board  of  the 
Teaser,  and  both  vessels  were  sent  to  New  York 
instead  of  Key  West.  The  steamer  was  expected 
to  tow  the  Judith  when  necessary,  and  defend  her 
if  she  was  attacked.  But  both  arrived  at  their 
destination  without  any  mishap,  and  both  were 
condemned ; the  Teaser  was  purchased  by  the 
government,  for  she  was  likely  to  be  a very  useful 
vessel  on  account  of  her  speed  and  light  draught. 

Christy  had  a brief  leave  of  absence  after  he  had 
served  as  a witness  against  the  captured  vessels. 
He  had  seen  his  father,  mother,  and  sister  on  his 
arrival,  and  they  were  as  proud  of  him  as  though 
he  had  been  made  a rear-admiral.  Captain 
Breaker  had  written  to  his  father  of  his  disap- 
pearance on  Santa  Rosa  Island,  and  had  no  doubt 
he  had  been  made  a prisoner  within  the  enemy’s 
lines.  Christy  brought  the  news  of  his  escape 


THE  PRIZE-MASTER  OF  THE  JUDITH  347 


himself,  which  made  him  even  doubly  welcome  at 
Bonnydale.  Certainly  the  young  lieutenant  had 
never  been  so  happy  before  in  his  life. 

Captain  Passford  was  a man  of  great  influence, 
though  he  held  no  position  in  authority.  At  the 
first  opportunity  he  obtained  to  talk  with  him, 
Christy  made  a strong  plea  in  favor  of  the  promo- 
tion of  Flint.  The  late  owner  of  the  Bellevite 
knew  him  well.  The  master’s  mate  had  been  a 
schoolmaster,  and  was  very  well  educated ; but  he 
had  a taste  for  the  sea.  He  had  made  several 
foreign  voyages,  and  had  bought  a schooner  then, 
of  which  he  went  as  master.  But  he  had  sold  his 
vessel  to  great  advantage,  and,  having  nothing  to 
do,  he  shipped  as  third  officer  of  the  Bellevite. 

Sampson,  who  had  come  home  as  chief  engineer 
of  the  Teaser,  was  also  remembered  by  Christy, 
who  interceded  for  his  promotion,  or  rather  ap- 
pointment. The  government  promptly  obtained 
possession  from  the  court  of  the  prize-steamer,  and 
the  repairs  and  alterations  upon  her  were  begun  at 
once.  She  had  proved  herself  to  be  a fast  sailer, 
and  had  logged  sixteen  knots,  so  that  much  was 
expected  of  her. 

Captain  Passford,  after  his  son  had  pleaded  so 


348 


WITHIN  THE  ENEMY’S  LINES 


earnestly  for  the  promotion  of  the?  master’s  mate 
and  the  fireman,  asked  Christy  what  he  expected 
in  the  way  of  promotion  for  himself.  The  young 
officer  did  not  ask  for  any  promotion,  he  was 
abundantly  satisfied  with  his  present  rank,  and  he 
rather  preferred  to  retain  it.  His  father  laughed, 
and  declared  that  he  was  very  glad  of  it,  for  he 
had  some  delicacy  in  asking  favors  for  a member 
of  his  own  family. 

Corny  still  remained  at  the  house  of  his  uncle  ; 
and  he  was  as  thoroughbred  a rebel  as  his  father, 
though  he  said  next  to  nothing  about  his  “ cause.” 
At  a later  period  both  he  and  Major  Pierson  were 
duly  exchanged ; but  the  gallant  officer  had  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  Miss  Florry  Passford  was 
very  far  from  being  infatuated  with  him. 

As  the  Bronx,  which  was  the  name  given  to  the 
Teaser  at  the  suggestion  of  Captain  Passford,  was 
to  be  ready  about  as  soon  as  the  legal  proceedings 
would  permit  of  the  departure  of  the  officers  and 
seamen  of  the  Bellevite,  they  were  ordered  to 
return  to  their  ship  in  her.  Flint’s  commission  as 
a master,  and  Sampson’s  as  an  assistant  engineer, 
were  received.  Christy’s  companion  in  the  night 
expeditions  had  not  expected  to  be  anything  more 


THE  PRIZE-MASTER  OP  THE  JUDITH  349 


than  a midshipman,  and  he  was  immeasurably 
delighted  at  his  good  fortune.  Then  it  appeared 
that  other  influences  than  that  of  Captain  Passford 
had  been  employed,  for  Christy,  almost  in  spite  of 
himself,  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  master,  his 
commission  antedating  that  of  Flint. 

Mr.  Blowitt  was  appointed  to  the  command  of 
the  Bronx,  with  Master  Passford  as  first  lieu- 
tenant, and  Master  Flint  as  second;  and  Christy 
was  to  take  her  to  the  Gulf.  She  was  to  be  used 
at  the  discretion  of  the  flag  officer  after  she  had 
delivered  her  passengers  on  board  of  the  Bellevite, 
and  received  her  new  commander. 

The  Bronx  was  soon  ready  for  sea  with  her  new 
ship’s  company,  and  sailed  for  her  destination, 
where  Christy  was  to  make  some  further  inquiries 
into  operations  On  the  Blockade. 


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